November, 1917

THE ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTER

439

Electricity Being Used to Hasten Crops

I XPERIMENTS on a large scale with the use of electricity to stimulate the growing, of crops are among the

English government's

latest efforts to increase the coun try's home food production.

The depart-

ment of agriculture has taken over a large arca near Hereford, where installations have altcady bees set up for.

the use

ionized agricultural experts under Prof. W.

H. Blackman of the Imperial College of Science and Technology who will supervise the experiments.

In the Hereford experiment high tension alternating current is to be used.

Spring

wheat, barley, oats and clover will be dealt with, fertilizers of various

about $300, which is not so very high.

Roberts, ntar

Carnarvon

The present method of overhead dis-

in Wales.

The enginecrs of the Carnarvou plant

charge from wires stretched over the crops are convinced of several important features was introduced into England twenty years ago by Professor Lemstrom of Helsingfors,

which have not

They are emphatically opinion that the

whose book, Electricity in Agriculture and ionization of atmosphere is but of sec

Horticulture,"* anyone interested in the sub- ondary importance, though attention is be: ject should consult, fied by. Mr. J.

The method was modi- ing particalarly paid to

E. Newman, in conjunction

the influence of

prevailing winds to widen the area of in

with Sir Oliver Lodge.

These and others

formed themselves into the Agricultural

fluence.

They maintain the main effect of

Electric Discharge

the discharge is noticeable on the soil, and

Company.

manured

of a large number

Bots in England and atroad.

of installations

that soils heavily

are more effec-

tively benefted by reason of the latent ha

Very contradictory results were obtained

midity.

The active result upon the soil is

apparently due to th

by the various users of the Lodge-Newman

le release and nitratica-

apparatus, and the subject lost much pres.

tion essential to the well-being of plant life.

The dark green foliage and the building-up

NIGHT-SCENE OF AN ENGLISH HIGH FREQUENCY PLANT GROWER.

Plants,

also be used in these experiments,

tge.

The results of the company's own

The method adopted is to stretch over experiments with wheat in over a series

of new tissue is evident proof of the greater vigor and increased growth of the

the field to be treated a number of thin wires on poles, something like, low tele:

years were reported as an increase vary-

plant.

Furthermore, confirmation is provided

ing from 0 per cent to 39 per cent.

the fact that sunlight is detrimental for the

graph wires, but high enough for loaded next phase in the development of electro- diacharge to be in operation at the came wagons to pass underneath.

supported by

The wires are culture opened in 1911.

time (more successful working is obtained

high tension insulators.

The British Board

posts in long parallel spans thirty feet

of Agriculture gave a grant to Professor at sunrise and sunset); a time switch can Priestley of Lecds for a scientific investi-

he charge fizzes off from the

gation of these new methods and their

be automatically arranged to switch the current on and off at these times,

says one account,

wires,

*with a sound which is

value, Profesor Priester collaborated with Jorgensen, an electrical expert and

This fact also emphasizes the approxi-

sometimes audible, and with a glow which is visible in the dark.

Anyone walking

plant physiologist, and with

mate degree of humidity necessary for the

Dudgeon of Dumfries.

Miss the

success of the discharge, as the amount of dew or

about below the wires can sometimes feel appeared that many technical

result.

latent humidity prevalent at these

difficulties periods are more or less helpful

effect on the hair of the head, as a existed.

Whercas,

cobweb on the face.

At first no favorable results were in heavy rain the discharge is

inclined

The electricity does obtained, but in the last two.

1 tO

years, with run to waste, owing to insulation troubles.

not act as a fertilizer but as a substitute

sunlight.

The current is only used in

improved method, increases of 50 per cent

Te must be borne in mind that the intensi

carly morning and

over the ordinary crop have been recorded

in cloudy weather.'

fied and rectified voltage of 75.000 volts to

with oats on Miss Dudecon's

100,000 volts has to be dealt with in a very

The initial cost of the apparatus for twenty:

very complete installation has recently

acres is about $1,500, and the animal including depreciation

been connected up in the extensive veg-

different manner to the ordinary electric light voltage, and the methods of control

etable gardens owned by Sir Thomas

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