ELECTEOCTLTI'EE 31 



The researches of Maimbray. Xoilet. Bose. Menon, and Jalabert would 

 indicate that electricity accelerated the development- of plants, both in their 

 germination and in their subsequent development. Xuneberg, many years 

 afterward, repeated the same experiments with the same results. Linne and 

 Kostling observed the same effects. Ac-hard confirmed these results. Berthelon, 

 in a treatise on the electricity of plan" mmarized the information on the 



subject and substantiated it by further research of his own. Gardini, from work 

 carried on at Lyon, affirmed the influence of electricity on vegetation. Carmoy, 

 d'Ornoy, and Rosieres have defended tins opinion in the Journal de Physique. 

 These doctors base their conclusions on the identity of natural and artificial 

 electricity, on the continual electrified condition of the atmosphere, and on the 

 meteorological phenomena which indicate in a more or less sensitive manner 

 the presence of electricity; the different elevated parts of plants, which are is 

 themselves excellent conductors of electricity, offer in their leaves, as De Saus 

 has observed, the proper points to receive the electric fluid. . . . All these 

 experiences led to the opinion stated when Ingenhousz published experiments 

 which proved that electricity would not produce the effects upon plants which 

 had been attributed to it; that electrified seeds - would not germinate quicker 

 than others. These experiments, reported in the Journal de Physique for 

 December. 1 7 S 5 . were confirmed in the same journal for December. 1786, were 

 given further support in May. 1788, and were finally summarized in ''Experi- 

 ences sur les vegetaux." Various other workers later confirmed these re- 

 searches. It seems to me at present [1800] that the opinion of those who believe 

 that electricity does not favor vegetation is more logical than the contrarv 

 opinion. 



At the present time (1924), there is still a diversity of opinion 

 concerning the influence of electricity in plant development. The 

 eleetroculture committee of the British Ministry of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries recommends 1923) the continuation of experiments with 

 high potential discharge. 7 Newman {38) in England considers 

 eleetroculture by the same method as offering practical assurance 

 of increased returns. Baines (1 ) points out a wonderland of electro- 

 biological relationships. On the other hand the experiments of 

 Gerlach and Erlwein { 19. 20* in Germany and the experiments 

 reported in the first part of this bulletin show- no increased growth 

 definitely attributable to electrical treatment. 



ghty and Taylor '-'■ report experiments with electrified seed which indicate no advantage gained 

 rnent. 

 " Typewritten report on file in the Office of Biophysical Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry. 



