ELECTRICITY AND VEGETATION. 155 
icidulation, and also by the presence of a certain quantity of manuring substances 
| .vithin the soil. 
Now, manured earth is precisely in the required condition ; and when a halo of 
electric matter is made to emanate from a system of wires in the one case, or from a 
circulating or bounding wire (Dr. Forster’s) in the other, we assert that every particle 
)f radiated matter polarizes, and excites (with decomposition) a definite quantity of 
nanured water, and thus prepares it for the plants and mainly promotes its intro- 
>usception in the form of nutritive sap. The ornamental and flower- gardener will 
je able to perceive the principles upon which we advocate the application of electro- 
culture to those branches of his art. We describe general principles, leaving their 
ocal adaptation to his skill and judgment ; and now, in order to strengthen theory 
by an appeal to experiment, we beg the reader who, from attending lectures, or by 
medical treatment, is acquainted with the effects produced by electro- magnetic 
machinery on the hands and wrists, to retrace his peculiar sensations. The only 
point of moment which we insist on, is this- — that so long as the hands remain dry, 
ike feeling produced is generally insignificant ; but if wetted, by immersion in 
water, or in a weak solution of salt, a peculiar numbness, and inability, without 
great effort and power of volition, to unloose the grasp, are instantly produced. 
Water, therefore, is decomposed, and being the connecting medium between the 
machinery and the skin, it polarizes the nervous vital atoms of the system, and 
ievelops their electricity. If this view be correct, the theory of atmospheric elec- 
trical action ceases to be problematical, and therefore the operation becomes a 
legitimate subject of scientific and patient investigation. 
Whatever may be thought of the practice of electro-culture in the large way, 
i there can be no doubt of the instrumentality of plants themselves in conducting and 
I appropriating atmospheric electricity. Every change of weather — hail, frost, snow 7 , 
min, or fog — is brought about by electrical disturbances. In a thunder-storm, the 
manifestations are peculiarly great. Mr. Sturgeon relates that, “ on one occasion,” 
experimenting with a kite, “a globe of fire, about the size of a musket ball, ran 
clown the string to the ground. The points and edges of the grass, for some yards 
around the young tree to which the kite-string was fastened, were beautifully 
illuminated ! ” 
The conducting power of herbage, naturally, furnishes indeed the most plausible 
argument against the employment of wires ; and it has been proved that when the 
poles have not been sufficiently elevated above the summits of plants, the effects 
■of the machinery have wholly ceased — the plants becoming their own attractors. 
But this natural action says nothing, because it is our object and argument to improve, 
and to show that we possess the means of improvement. 
We also desire to blunt the weapons of prejudice ; and, therefore, as it has 
appeared to be the object of many writers to check further enquiries by boldly 
asserting that every attempt has terminated in a failure, we have with great pleasure 
seized the earliest opportunity to advert to the authority of one of the leading 
