THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8140, 18 May 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1906.

Some very interesting experiments with eleotriaity. as a substitute for sunshine have been ijonduoted in the neighbourhood of Evesham. The idea 1b not altogether new, because electricity has been used occasionally for foroing indoor plants. But the Evesham experiments are being tried for the purpose of prodieting the growth of ceieala, and it will be some time, of course, before delinite reports of success or failure can be made. The electricity, which is generated by a dynamo driven by a three horse-power oil engine, is transformed to a high-tension currentyand disoharged from wires suspended sixteen feet above the earth from poles placed one hundred yards

apprt. The conductors being carefully insulated, the ourrent &obb to earth through the orops, whioh are growing under the wires. This substitute for sunshine will, it is claimed, lead to an increase in the yield cf grain of 25 per cent, with a corresponding in the straw. The • authorities on agricultural chemistry do not speak very hopefully of the experiments. Dt Augustus Voelcker, consulting chemist to the Royal Agrioulural Society, is frankly sceptical: "Ttiis application of eleotriuity to growing arops might oertainly have the effect of pushiog cn the growth of fruit and vegetables," he says, "but 1 cannot see bow it would liberate and provide more nutriment to them, and that, after all, seems to me to be the chief consideration. .It is, perhaps, a new idea to pass the current through the air. I have also seen in 'he neighbourhood of x\luwick, wires fixed to posts in such a way as to intercept the electric current produced by thunderstorms. In Northumberland the strawberry season is later than it is in the South of England, while round about Aberdeen it is later still. Except in caseslike these, I d'iubt lhe practical value of increasing the growth of fruit in this mariner, <»As. for the application .of electricity for the growth; o£ cereals, the cost must militate against its praotical uaefulnejs. The hope that this country could produce as much wheat as she cousumes could hardly be realised. You would have, to grow wheat with an ear half as big again as it is a present." Dr Voelcker thinks that the money would I bo better spent sending [people from Great Britain to countries where wheat grows plentifully without artificial aide. 1

There Sa some little discussion at the present time in athletio circles in regard to "reciprocal" arrangements between the New Zealand Aibletio Union and the .New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. The formation of the New Zealand Athletic Union is certainly a step in the right direction. Among other objeota for which it exists is to provide uniformity of rules for the guidance of sooietiis holding cash athletic sports throughout the colony, and to repress any abuse of athletic sportF. There is, no doubt* plenty of work ahead of the Unio"n, and!} by a thorough system of organisation' they may do much to eliminate what has always proved a great to the progress of cash athletic* societies. That the Union and the Association should, in any 3 way clash seems to be quite unnecessary. There is ample room bodies, aud each body is in its own way working to provide true sport. It appears that in some instances oash athletic bodies nave placed amateur events on their programmes at their, own initiative, and, in other cases, at the request of amateurs, and it ia now proposed, unofficially, we are informed, thst the Amateur Association shall reoipropate by placing cash evenrs on its programmes for cash runners. This proposal is stoutly re r sisted by the Amateur Association, and with good reason, because it is impossible under their constitution that they can give effect to any suggesti&n of the kind. The Association adopts this attitude, that in the true interests of sport, or rather /to protect clean spcit, no amateur must be allowed to. run for cash. To make any exception would be entirely contrary to the constitution ;of the Association, a violation of the cardinal principle of its existence. If the Amateur Association was to allow cash events on its programme it might just as well merge into the Uniou at once. On the other hand, the Athletic Union contend that cash athletic clubs should not be approached by any branch of the Amateur Association to place trophy events iu their programmes, as such trophies are really part of the prdoeeds of cash athletics. It would be regrettable if anything in the nature oi antagonism were to come into existence between the two bodies, aud it is, therefore, anvisable that the "points" iu the present discussion should be explained, aud it is with such an object that the foregoing remarks have been penned.