670 



ELECTRO-HOR TICUL TURE. 



such a long period of growth that the first good picking 

 was not obtained until the end of the experiment in 

 April. The plants, therefore, grew under both the naked 

 and protected lamps. In the following calculation the 

 plot on the upper or east end is omitted because it 



Fig. 6. Endi\-e in Shadow and Light. 



appeared to have been modified somewhat by the greater 

 heat occasioned by the elbows in the steam pipes al 

 that point : 



Average No. of 



weight Average Average market- 

 of entire weiglit weight able 

 Samples (Carrot). plants. of tops, of tubers, tubers. 



Light house, center 140?.. .o8oz. .o6oz. 51 per ct. 



west end . . .16 " .oS " .08 " 63 " 

 Dark house 19 " .11 " .08 " 64 " 



We found that the injurious effects of the electric 

 lamp are lessened by the use of a thin globe. The facts 

 indicate that there may be conditions under which the 

 electric light can be made profitable to the gardener. 



EXPERI.MENTS WITH NAKED LIGHT RUNNING 

 PART OF NIGHT (rSgi). 



From January 16 to May i, 1891, the experiment was 

 conducted under new conditions. The light ran but 

 a few hours, and never on moonlight nights. 



Of radishes, the foliage was noticeably larger in the 

 electric light house, as it had been under the modified 

 light, but the tubers were practically the same in both 

 houses. American Wonder and Advance peas were in 

 every case larger and more fruitful in the dark house. 



The lettuce, however, was greatly benefitted by the 

 electric light. We had found that under the protected 

 light the lettuce had made a better growth than in nor- 

 mal conditions, but now it showed still greater difference. 

 Three weeks after transplanting (February 5), both va- 

 rieties in the light house were fully 50 per cent, in ad- 

 vance of those in the dark house in size, and the color 

 and other characters of the plants were fully as good. 

 The plants had received at this time 70}- hours of electric 

 light. Just a month later the first heads were sold from 

 the light house, but it was six weeks later when the first 

 heads were sold from the dark house. In other words, 

 the electric light plants were two weeks ahead of the 

 others. This gain had been purchased by i6i| hours of 

 electric light, worth at current prices of street lighting 

 about $7 ; this will give an idea as to economic values. 



The electric light plants were in every way as good in 

 quality as those grown in the dark house; in fact, the 

 two could not be told apart except for their different 

 sizes. Figs, i and 2 show representative portions of 

 the crops as they appeared five weeks after being trans- 

 planted to permanent quarters. Fig. i 

 IS a view in the dark house, and Fig. 2 

 in the light house. The variety in this 

 * case is Landreth's Forcing. The elec- 



tric light plants were upon the benches 

 44 days before the first heads were 

 sold. During this time there were 20 

 nights in which the light did not run, 

 and there had been but 84 hours of 

 electric light, worth about $3.50. In 

 order to compute the cost of growing 

 lettuce by the aid of the electric light, 

 ' it is necessary to know how far the in- 

 fluence of the light will extend. This 

 we do not know ; but the lamp exerted 

 this influence throughout a house 20x30, 

 and the results were as well marked in the most remote 

 part as they were near the lamp. If the same results 

 can be obtained by hanging the lamp over the house, 

 intead of inside of it, by that means several houses 

 might be lighted at once. 



Several named varieties of tulips gave interesting re- 

 sults. Upon the 13th of February, when these came 

 into full flower, it was found that in every case the 

 colors were deeper and richer in the light house; but 

 the colors lost their intensity after four or five days, and 

 were indistinguishable from those in the dark house. 

 The plants in the light compartment had longer stems 

 and larger leaves than the others ; and there was a 

 greater number of floriferous plants in the light. The 

 tulips were grown at a distance of 10 and 12 feet from 

 the lamp. 



Verbena flowers near the light were uniformly injured. 

 February 26, all plants within six feet of the light 

 were stunted, the leaves were small and curled, and 

 the flowers were short-lived. Fig. 7, page 671, shows the 

 effect of electric light upon verbenas. The left specimen 

 stood four feet from the lamp, and the right specimen 

 is from the dark house. 



A few fuchsias were grown in both houses. Those in 

 the light house were about eight feet from the lamp, 

 and they flowered three days earlier than the others. 

 The colors were not changed. Heliotropes of various 

 named varieties standing nine and ten feet from the 

 lamp did not appear to be affected in any way. Chinese 

 primulas at seven feet from the light were not affected, 

 but those four feet away, especially the lilacs, were 

 changed in color. The lilac was bleached out to pure 

 white wherever the light struck squarely upon the 

 flowers. Petunias were much affected by the light. 

 The plants were much taller and slenderer in the light, 

 even at the farthest corners of the house, and they 

 bloomed earlier and more profusely. Coleus plants 

 within three feet from the lamp were much affected. Reds 



