The Plant Trick.

Hastings Standard, Issue 97, 18 August 1896, Page 2

The Plant Trick.

A French scientist, M. Kagonneau, has just discovered how to make a plant grow from the seed in thirty minutes as it would under ordinary circumstances in as many days. Hereto, Nature has shared this secret ■with the Yougis of India alone, and the methods pursued by these magicians in performing the trick have often been described. They plant a seed in the earth and cover it over with a cloth. In a few moments the cloth begins to be pushed upwards by the growing plant, which in a short time attains the height of several feet. Various theories have been advanced as to the vwdm opercwidi of this miracle, one of the latest being that the spectators are all hypnotised by the magician. During his travels in India, M. Ragonneau saw this trick performed frequently, and noticed that the Hindoos always imbedded the seed in soil which they brought with them especially for that purpose. At last he learned that they obtained earth from ant hills. Now, as every one knows who has inadvertently eaten one of these industrious insects, ants contain a large proportion of fornic acid, with which in time the soil of the habitation becomes charged. This acid has the power of quickly dissolving the integument surrounding a seed, and of greatly stimulating the growth of the germ within. After a little experimenting with this acid the learned Frenchman was able to duplicate perfectly the Hindoo trick. His further researches have led him to believe that this discovery may be profitably applied to agriculture. By infusing ants in boiling water acid as strong as vinegar can be obtained. M. Eagonneau has achieved the best results and most perfect growth by using earth moistened with a solution of 5000 parts of water ac 4 cme of acidr