— 135 — 
long as ihe earih and atmosphere are in equilibrio, the results of it on Vegetation are 
not striking ; but should any disturbing cause arisej tliey become evident. 0 e of 
those cause» is ibe evaporation of water. The rapid formalion of cloiids in tropical 
conntries always precedes thunderslorms, the eiectricity of the altnosphere accumu- 
Jating round the surfaces of Ibe clouds and discharging upon the neaiest objects. It 
has been also ascertained that the issue tube of a steam engine is a ready yielder of 
eiectricity ; and it may be taken for a fact, that in all cases wliere water is evapo- 
rated, there is a constanl electrical dislurbance, and where ihe evaporation is slow, 
and ibe dislurbance though slight, is constant, the shocks thus produced appear to 
bave a wonderful power in developing vegetable growth. It foliows then, that in a 
country vvheie there is a supply of water for evaporation, the Stimuli to vegetable 
growtli will be more abundant than in those countries in which such supplies are 
deü :ient; an J upon tliis inlluence depends, in a great degree, the superior efficacy 
of showers to the same quantity of water applied by Irrigation JNegative eiec- 
tricity is peculiarly favourable to the growth of the vegetable. The points of vege- 
tables bave been found to possess a greater discharging power than steel needles; 
and blades of grass and the thorns of gooseberry bushes are far superior in discharg- 
ing power to metal points. This power, which the whole vegetable creation puls 
in action, silently drawing off tiie eiectricity from the clouds, and receiving that öf 
rain, must, if we consider its extern, be very great. Every shower of rain conveys 
a quantity of eiectricity upon the herbage it wets ; and I think there can be no 
doubt tliat it is in (his way a shusver is benefieial to a plant in the second degree 
(the liist being ihe supply of moisture to parched surfaces) and not to the quantity 
of Ammoriia which it conveys, which we hear so frequently reiteraled ( 1 ). Every 
Operation of burning produces eleciricity ; as where wood is burned it becomes ne- 
gative, while the Cai bonic Acid arising from its burning becomes positive. In the 
plant, the decomposition of carbonic acid in the leaf produces a like electric change, 
the oxygen escaping being positive, wbile the cells in which the change goes on 
become negative. » 
M Morris entre alors dans quelques details sur la maniere dont 
l’electncite, en se degageant, agit sur les piantes, en acceleraut leur 
developpement, et termine sou travail en recommandant ä la So- 
ciete de lenter a ce sujet des experiences qui, bien qu’elles aient 
ete failes il y & dqjä long-tems, et considerees aiocw/comme n’etant 
d’aucune utilite, se presenten! aujourd’hui, gräce aux progres de 
la science, sous tin jour tellement nouveau, qu’il y a toute 
chance de les voir couronnees d’un pleia succes. 
JEUDI, 28 AOÜT 1845. 
Celle seance qui es! la seizietne reunion anniversaire lenup par 
la Societe, s'ouvre sous la presidence de S. E. le Gouverneur, 
Patron de la Societe. 
Soul presents : Le Colonel Wm Släveley, membre honoraire, 
l’Honorable G P. Dick, President, MM. W. Bbjer et Lienard’ 
Vice-Presidents, L. Bouton, Secretaire, J. Morris/ Vice-Secretai- 
* Sir H. Davy in his elementsof Agricultural Chemistry q>. 19 Spiers’ Edit.) : «Experiments made 
npon the atmosphere show that clouds are usually negative ; and as, when a cloud is in one 
state ot eiectricity, the surface of the earth beneath is bronght into the opposite state, it is pro- 
bable that, in common cases, the surface of the eaith is positive. ■> J. M. 
(') The Ammonia plays a very important part in yielding Nitrogen to the plants ; a«d rain-water 
«a» contain Nitrogen ouly in three lorms, as dissolved air, as Ammonia, and as Nitric Acid. J. M. 
