RE: Bipolar Horizontal Coil - 16" Discharges - Plants (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:20:58 +0000
From: Jeff Behary <jeff_behary@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Bipolar Horizontal Coil - 16" Discharges - Plants (fwd)

After digging out my first edition Curtis book, I re-read the chapter on
plant culture and decided to put it for reference here.  The man who
originally published the data was Thomas Commerford Martin himself.  
President of the American Institute ForElectrical Engineers, Editor of
Electrical World, and friend of both Tesla and Edison:
 
Actual Results Obtained.—A most interesting report on electroculture
experiments was made recently by Mr. T. C. Martin at a convention of
electrical men and from this report it may be deduced that, of all the
processes by means of which plant life may be stimulated, the one
employing the high frequency current as its fundamental principle is the
most successful by far. The experiments mentioned by Mr. Martin were
carried out at the Moraine Farm, a few miles south of Dayton, Ohio, and
located in the celebrated Miami River Valley. The experiments were
promoted by F. M. Tait, formerly president of the National Electric Lamp
Association, and were in the immediate charge of Dr. Herbert G. Dorsey,
whose work in this line has long been worthy of note. "In preliminary
tests, according to Mr. Martin's report," says the Philadelphia Inquirer,
"small plots were marked off for exposure to different kinds of
electrification. To insure that the soil of one plot was not better than
that of another, top earth was collected, mixed and sifted and then was
laid to the uniform depth of seven inches over the entire area." To quote
further:
 
In the soil of Plot No. 1 was buried a wire screen. Over the plot was a
network of wire, stretched about 15 inches from the ground. Connecting the
network above the ground and the screen below were several wire antenna.
The screen was connected to one terminal of a Tesla coil and the network
to the other. A transformer stepped a 110-volt alternating current up to
5,000 volts, charging a condenser of tin-foil and glass plates, which
discharged through a primary of the coil. About 130 watts were operated
for an hour each morning and evening.  Plot No. 2 was illuminated by a
100-watt tungsten lamp with a ruby bulb. The light was turned on for three
hours daily beginning at sundown.
 
Plot No. 3 was illuminated the same way, except that a mercury vapor lamp
was used.  No. 4 had no artificial stimulation of any kind, being intended
as a comparison between electrically excited plant growth and that of
natural conditions. " In Plot No. 5 was buried a wire net-work connected
to the terminal of a 110-volt direct current. The positive terminal was
attached to a small sprinkling can with a carbon electrode in its center.
The can being filled, the water was subjected to electrolysis for several
minutes. The plot was then sprinkled from the can, the theory being that
the current might flow from the can, through the streams of water to the
soil. " Plots Nos. 6 and 7 were sub-divided into four individual boxes,
two feet square, separated by porcelain insulators and arranged with
carbon electrodes at each end. To these electrodes were applied both
direct and alternating currents. " After radish and lettuce seed had been
planted and germination had begun, the various methods of electrification
were tried with extreme care. The result of the experiments showed that
the plants in Plot No. 1 grew in every instance far more rapidly than
those in the other beds and more than double the normal growth as shown in
the un- electrified bed."  The comparative results obtained with the
various processes may be noted in the table which follows, and it is
interesting to observe that the high frequency current from the Tesla coil
takes the lead from the standpoint of weight of the edible portion of both
radishes and lettuce grown under its influence:  Plot 1 Radishes (ten
plants selected at random): Tesla Coil Total plant weight, grams 265.70
Edible portion, grams 139.50 Edible portion, per cent 51.15 Tops and
leaves, grams 120.50 Tops and leaves, per cent.... 43.35 Roots, grams '.
9.30 Roots, per cent 3.50 Lettuce (ten plants selected at random) 67.00
Edible portion, grams 60.70 Edible portion, per cent 90.59 Roots, grams
6.30 Roots, per cent 9.41
 
Plot 2 Radishes (ten plants selected at random): Ruby Light Total plant
weight, grams 137.80Edible portion, grams 57.40 Edible portion, per cent
41.65Tops and leaves, grams 75.70Tops and leaves, per cent....54.92Roots,
grams '.  4.70Roots, per cent 3.43Lettuce (ten plants selected at random)
52.60Edible portion, grams 57.30Edible portion, per cent 89.92Roots, grams
5.30Roots, per cent 10.08
 
Plot 3 Radishes (ten plants selected at random): Mercury Vapor Total plant
weight, grams 109.50Edible portion, grams 40.90 Edible portion, per cent
37.34Tops and leaves, grams 65.90Tops and leaves, per cent.... 60.18Roots,
grams '.  3.20Roots, per cent 2.48Lettuce (ten plants selected at random)
56.60Edible portion, grams 50.20Edible portion, per cent 88.85Roots, grams
6.30Roots, per cent 11.15

Plot 4 Radishes (ten plants selected at random): Normal Total plant
weight, grams 180.00Edible portion, grams 79.40 Edible portion, per cent
44.11Tops and leaves, grams 95.00Tops and leaves, per cent.... 52.77Roots,
grams '.  5.60 Roots, per cent 3.12 Lettuce (ten plants selected at
random) 46.10Edible portion, grams 41.80 Edible portion, per cent 90.67
Roots, grams 4.30Roots, per cent 9.33

Plot 5 Radishes (ten plants selected at random):  Direct Current Total
plant weight, grams 78.50Edible portion, grams 31.00 Edible portion, per
cent 39.49Tops and leaves, grams 41.50 Tops and leaves, per
cent....55.66Roots, grams '.  6.00Roots, per cent 4.85Lettuce (ten plants
selected at random) 31.30Edible portion, grams 28.20Edible portion, per
cent 92.10Roots, grams 3.10Roots, per cent 7.99 Jeff Behary, c/o The Turn
Of The Century Electrotherapy Museum http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com
_________________________________________________________________ Capture
your memories in an online journal!
http://www.reallivemoms.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM&loc=us