ELECTROCULTURE

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17165, 23 March 1927, Page 7

ELECTROCULTURE

(Contributed.) . Electroculture is a very old science dating back some -300 years. By the use of these older processes it was found that electricity had a beneficial effect on crops, but only to the extent of from 25 per cent. to 30 per cent. increase. The use of industrial currents which necessitated the use of motor, batteries, etc., was found to be too costly, and was not practicable for general use. By the process recently discovered by the French scientist, Mr J. Christofleau, of Normanby, France, the batteries ,etc., are entirely eliminated, and an increase in production of from 100 per cent., 200 per cent. and 300 per cent. is claimed. Knowing the different effect on vegetation between heavy showers rain of short duration as against a light and continuous shower, and basing himself upon his contention that Nature is quite capable of herself alone of supplying the necessary nourishment to plant life, the inventor of this process, M. Christofleau, has, after many years of research, managed to capture the positive electricity of the atmosphere, drain it, and imp.art it into the soil in a feeble but continuous current, which he compares to a light shower of rain of continuous duration. Not only has^ he succeeded in his efforts to do this, but he has also captured the Teluric currents (the terrestrial magnetism), and it js the combination of these two forr ' which give to vegetation s'l-e.h prodigious yields. It is also this combination which, when impartcd into the soil by means of a subterranean galvanised iron .wire, destroys insects, parasites, microbes, fungi, and the diseases which attack vegetation, and which also causes the soil to be always sweet, fertile and well aerated. The first year, the intensity of the current being feeble, it will have no harmful effect on insects, etc. The second year, the electricity having accumulated into the soil, the insects will become dormant, ' and the third year they will be dentroved altosether.

• Inside the apparatus are ridges on the eastern and western sides. The sun when striking the eastern side/ will heat the ridges. The thinnei^ part of the casing being well pro'tected by the flanges, which are I outside, the apparatus will he cooler ! than the ridges, the contact of heat and cold thus forming an electric depot or store. Later on in the afternoon the same ' action occurs on the western side of the ridges. Being south of the Equator in New Zealand, the sun will strike on the south side, and that part of j the tube which is made of zinc and copper soldered together. will, bv this very contact, form another electric store. The zinc part of the tuhe will become heated by the rays of the sun, and the copper part will be relatively colder, thus forming a thermo pile. Inside the apparatus is placed a zinc plate, which is riveted to the copper plate, again forming by their very contact another electric store. When the copper plate is humid, caused either bv the rain, frost or dew, energetic electricity is formed. ; The steel pointer , which must be I carefully and correctly placed ! south as per the bearing of a good j compass, will capture the telluric | currents, the land magnetism which . : alwavs runs south-north.

When the wind blows fhrough the aerials pointing.towards the skv, the aerials will capture- the electricity with which the wind is charged. The aerials will also capture the electricity and humidity carried by the cold, the clouds, and the frost, and when there is any lightning more elcetnicity is captured, and finally, nitrogenous products will be imported incessantly into the soil. The apparatus will electrify a strip of land on a width of 10ft — that is, 5ft on each side of the wire. 'The length of this strip is linlimit- - ed, and may be carried on for miles J and miles up hills and down dales. . When the wire is carried over a | ; creek or rocks, the fact of the wire | j being bare will in no way affect the 1 J result. After three years, when a | certain amount of electricity will | iiave been imparted into the soil, I this electricity will travel well beond where the wire has been cut | ofl. It is advisable for the grower to coilecr all the electricity by allowing a spact; of 6fl, where the wire has been cut off, and placing a sufficient lengH: of wire at right aiigles to the strip, using the same gauge wire and huiying it at the same depth as the mother wire, thus preserving all the electricity in the soil. This process may be applied to both sides of the strip. The wire to be used is the ordinary galvanised wire, which is soft and pliable. It is necessary for the wire to be buried two or three inches rleeper than the depth of the plough, so as it will not be disturbed by the plough. For grazing purposes, where the land is not ploughed, ihe wire may be buriedi at a depth of from four inchesxonwards.

It is necessary that the apparatus he placed at least 20ft high above ground, the higher the better, as more electricity will be captured. The first year the apparatus has been installed it is advisable to use manure, just as if the apparatus were not there, as the intensity of the electric current will be feeble. The very first year the crops will be increased. The second year it is optional for the fanner to use manure or not- certainly, two forces are better than one, but even if no i fertilisers were used, the second year of the results will be better than those of the first year. This increase goes on every year until between the fifth and sixth years, when that strip of land, no matter how many miles it ; may be in length, will have become thoroughly saturated with electricity, and the soil will have reached its maximum capacity of production. The soil will always remain at that. The grower may then confidently base the calculations of his yield as beginning with an over production of from 100 per cent. up to 200 p»er cent., and has even ibeen known to be 300 per cent. Onjce the installation is made and the furrow filled in, the apparatus will immediately function, and will do so unceasingly day and night, imparting electricity and nitrogenous products into the soil at no cost whatever to the grower. The apparatus will neecl no maintaining in upkeep and no attention given it in any way, and together with the galvanised wire, it will last a man's life-time. It is recommended that the apparatus must not be overshadowed by a house or a tree within 100 yards, as such would, so to speak, rob the apparatus of a certain amount of voitage. The first effects can he noted by the greenness of the folaige, caused by the nitrogenous products. The leaves of plants will also be larger. The wire can be carried through a

will grow just as abundalnl\ =i-. .«*- the trees. The pro/cess of elecirc v is especially recommended i -iieep and cattle breeders, win> ..eed no, longer fear the frightful . avages drought; and also to breeders and ow'ners of race horses.'and trotting horses. The mortality of ewes during the lambing season will be considcrably minimisejd, and the lambs being born of healthy parents will grow quicker, make bone quicker, and being in a vigorous state of health, will resist diseases better. The productive capacity of rams, stallions, etc., will always be I greater than those fed on ordinary ! fodder. The process is specially valuable to proprietors of racing stock. When the grower puts fertiliser under the soiX if there is no rain, there is no crop. Why? Because there has not been sufficeint humidity in the soil to cause the decomposition of the chemical manure, and it is a well known fact that when chemical manure decomposes under the soil. it throws out electric currents and the elements necessary to the germination of the seeds, and to plant life. Therefore, as this electric current and those elements are imparted into the soil by means of the apparatus, there is no need to use fertiliserers. By the same rule, as it is the humidity which causes the chemical fertilisers to defcompose under the soil in order to throw out the electric currents and those elements necessary to vegetation. there is therefore no need to fear droughts, as this electric current and those elements necessary are already imparted into the soil by this process.

Some of the advantages of Chnstofleau's process are that the crops will be considerably increased; insects, parasites, microbes, etc., will be efftfctively ei'adicated; the plant being always in a vigorous state of health will resist droughts and diseases better; the soil will always ■ remain fertile and will be well ; aerated; the cost of fertiisers will ! be altogether suppressed; after a i few years when the soil will con- ; tain a large quantity of electricitp. ; and nitrogenous products. the crops i will be increased by 100, 200 an'd even" 300 per1 cent. and will always remain at that; a property which is eleclrifiecl will sell more readily and will command a much higher price; wheat grown hy electricity will contain more carho-hydrates. and the ears will be bigger and fuller. Anything grown by this process of 'elqctroculture will be in the market at least three weeks ' earlier. (This is an enormous adi vantage in itself. Fruit grown by the Christofleau process will contain more sugar and more alcohol, and the flavour will be more pronounced and will keep better for export trade). Vegetables grown by elec- }- tricity will contain more life-giving vitaraines and will keep better. - Everything grown by electricity will be mere healthy fo'r human consumption. The cost of irrigation will be eliminated. Crops will be grown very successfully in thirdc'lass soil. Finally, the grower will be able to cultivate 50 per cent. less of his holding with the sarne results. The wire which conveys'the electricity from the apparatus to the soil should be soft, pliable galvanised iron, 12 or 12$ gauge. Mr E. Reid has been appointed North Otago agent for Electroculture.