ELECTRICITY TO INCREASE CROP PRODUCTION. 
of Mr. Bomford, at Evesham, in Gloucestershire. Other experimenters 
have modified the length of time of the current used. In the Hlectrical 
Review (London) 85, (Sth August) 1919, details are given of the 
current, switches and motor, transformer, and Delon rectifier, which 
maintains a working pressure in dry weather of 39,000 volts D.C. A 
high-voltage transformer has been recently installed for the Purdue 
University (see Hlectrical Review, vol. 85, p. 363), which yields a 
current up to 600,000 volts. 
Recent ADVANCES. 
V. H. Blackman and J. Jorgensen have gradually reduced the 
widths between their wires, which are silicon bronze, from 19 feet (1914), 
LARGER STRAW AND EARS IN THE BARLEY 
OATS GROWN FROM ELECTRIFIED 
GROWN FROM ELECTRIFIED SEED. 
AND UNELECTRIFIED SEED. 
14 feet (1915) to 134 feet (1916), and from 14 feet to 10 feet to 7 feet 
from the soil, and use a current of 9,000 volts in the wires.. This was 
derived from a 8 amp. current at 50 volts in the primary coil of the 
induction coil, through a rotary mercury interrupter. These investi- 
gators have carried on their researches over a period of six years, and 
have considered the costs of the method, and conclude that the use of 
the overhead system is not yet sufficiently investigated to warrant its 
practical adoption on a large scale. It can be successfully applied to 
intensive market-gardening, especially with such crops as strawberries, 
tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, &e. In the case of leguminous plants, the 
immediate effect was harmful. There appears to be a “ residual after 
effect,” as leguminous crops on the same field not further treated give 
increased yields in the second year. 
27 . 
