44 



MR. SOLLY ON THE INFLUENCE OF 



this time the French beans came into blossom and formed pods. 

 Those which were positively electrified were rather more forward 

 than either of the other three sets, appearing to be about four 

 days more advanced. Mr. Nieman, however, does not think 

 that this could be fairly attributed to the influence of the elec- 

 tricty, but that it was caused by accidental circumstances. In 

 the other plants no difference whatever could be observed, and 

 the seeds came up at the same time and were in all respects 

 perfectly alike. 



Being rather surprised at this result, and having certainly 

 expected to observe some little difference in the germination of 

 the seeds, I requested the experiment might be repeated with 

 some other seeds, and this was accordingly done in January, 

 1846, with pots containing wheat, barley, oats, mustard, and rye. 

 The action of the machine was kept up four hours a day for three 

 weeks, but in this case also no perceptible difference whatever 

 could be observed. As in these two experiments, however, the 

 conditions were very unlike those which ever can occur in 

 nature, another experiment was tried at the suggestion of my 

 friend, the Rev. E. Sidney, in which the plants themselves were 

 left quite free and untouched, a peculiar electric state being 

 brought about by induction, so as to resemble as far as possible 

 the effect of an electrified cloud. For this purpose the insulated 

 stools were removed, and a branched wire terminating in several 

 points connected with the wire from the positive conductor of 

 the machine was suspended over an uninsulated pot in which 

 wheat was sown, a wire from the negative conductor being con- 

 nected with the ground as in the ordinary manner of working a 

 machine. The machine was worked as before four hours a day, 

 and consequently the germinating wheat was exposed every day 

 to the influence of the positive electricity given off from the 

 pointed wires suspended a few inches above it. Another similar 

 pot of wheat was kept by way of standard, and on comparing it 

 with the electrified wheat from day to day no difference whatever 

 could be observed. 



Since to some extent plants growing thus under glass can never 

 be fairly compared with those growing naturally in the open air, 

 it became desirable to make an experiment with plants growing 

 wholly in the open air, and for this purpose three sets of pots 

 were arranged in the open air, two being placed on insulated 

 stools, and the third placed close by, but uninsulated, the three 

 being in all other respects perfectly alike. One stool was con- 

 nected by wire with the positive, and the other with the nega- 

 tive conductor of the machine. Six pots were taken in each 

 series, containing seeds of French beans, spinach, cauliflower, 

 turnips, cabbage, and mustard. The machine was worked four 



