PREFACE, 
—>—- 
oh HE Electrician” Printing and Publishing Company 
has had the kindness to undertake the publishing 
of “Electricity in Agriculture and Horticulture,” 
which, I venture to hope, will be received favourably by 
the English-speaking public who read it. It contains the 
results of a long study and numerous experiments, which 
had their origin in the Polar regions, were continued in 
more southern latitudes, and have led not only to an 
increase of the. harvest of every kind of plant which has 
come under treatment, but also to a favourable change of 
their chemical compounds, eg., an increase of the digestible 
nitrogenous matter in seeds, of the sugar in sugar-beets, 
proved by chemical analyses, and of the sweetness in berries, 
&c. The earlier ripening of some berries and fruits is also 
a proved result. There have been many difficulties to over- 
come, including the English language; but here the 
Publisher, Mr. Geo. Tucker, has kindly given me assistance 
by reading the manuscript for the press, for which I am 
very thankful. The like gratitude I would express to Mr. 
R. B. Greig, for much good counsel and many corrections. 
A great difficulty has been to estimate the cost of the 
apparatus and the quantities of some of the articles necessary 
for the electrical installation to enable me to apply the 
electric air current to growing crops, especially the cost 
of wood-posts, of labour, of inspection, &c., which are of 
A 
