Macagno, also believing that the passage of electricity from air through the vine to earth would stimulate growth, selected a certain number of vines, all of the same variety and all in the same condition of health and development.  Sixteen vines were submitted to experiment and sixteen were left to natural influences.  In the ends of the vines under treatment, pointed platinum wires were inserted, to which were attached copper wires, leading to the tops of tall poles near the vines; at the base of these same vines other platinum wires were inserted and connected by copper wires with the soil.  At the close of the experiment, which began April 15, and lasted till September 16, the wood, leaves and fruit of both sets of vines were submitted to careful analysis with the following results: 

Without conductor.  With conductor.

Moisture per cent.          78.21            79.84
Sugar.                      16.86            18.41
Tartaric acid.               0.880            0.791
Bitartrate of potash.        0.180            0.186

Thus we see that the percentage of moisture and sugar is greater and the undesirable acid lower in those vines subject to electrical influences than in those left to natural conditions.  There are also experiments which prove the beneficial effects of electricity on vines attacked by phylloxera.

The following experiments were made at this station:  Several plots were prepared in the greenhouse, all of which had the same kind of soil and were subjected to like influences and conditions.  Frames in the form of a parallelogram, about three feet by two feet, were put together; across the narrow way were run copper wires in series of from four to nine strands, each series separated by a space about four inches wide, and the strands by a space of one-half inch.  These frames were buried in the soil of the plot at a little depth, so that the roots of the garden plants set would come in contact with the wires, the supposition being that the currents of electricity passing along the wires would decompose into its constituents the plant food in the vicinity of the roots and more readily prepare it for the plants.  Two electric gardens were thus prepared and each furnished with two common battery cells, so arranged as to allow continuous currents to pass through each series of wires.  Near each electric garden was a plot prepared in the same manner, save the electrical apparatus.  We will call the two gardens A and B.

The place chosen for the experiments was in a part of the greenhouse which is given up largely to the raising of lettuce, and the gardens were located where much trouble from mildew had been experienced.  The reason for this choice of location was to notice, if any, the effect of electricity upon mildew, this disease being, as it is well known, a source of much trouble to those who desire to grow early lettuce.  The soil was carefully prepared, the material taken from a pile of loam commonly used in the plant house.