STIMULATING PLANTS BY ELECTRICITY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 288, 9 November 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

STIMULATING PLANTS BY ELECTRICITY.

Pringshcim, a German scientist, has shown iji Kryschanowitz, near Breslau, that by the application of electric currents to the soil the yield of grain and stalks increased, with barley 32 per cent, and with oats -13 per cent-., while potatoes iucivased 21 per cent., mid strawberries 50 pet cent. In Newcastle a surplus of 37 per cent, was obtained with strawberries, a gain of 20.5 per cent, with peas, while tho gain of potatoes was 15 to 30 per cent. A year idler lie obtained a yield increased by 123 ptr cent, with strawberries, by 32.5 per cent, with barley, by 110.5 per cent. ■■ rb sugar beets, and by 30 per cent. i I -.ans. M lule these -figures demonstrate tfie increased quantity, the imp roved quality was also demonstrated by these Is'sS. “ Electrified ” beets contain 2.2 t > 2.7 per cent, more sugar than beets rv' td. under ordinary conditions. Elect .’i?;''ly-grown rye (Helshigions) had a pr iteiii coiitorit of 19 per cent., total nitrogen 19.2 per. cent., albumen 14.3 p. r cent. Barley anil outs improved .•orrcspomlingly. With tobacco a rich growt h and a _o per cent, increase in the germinativo power of the seeds wore observed. The roots became exceedingly strong and the colour of the leaves very dar.o.