Show TO ELECTRIFY WATER benefits which are said to be secured are twofold two fold system Is expected to materially increase crops and to combat effectually drought insects and other troubles FROM THE scientific AMERICAN we have had bad occasion in these col dumns to refer repeatedly to expert merits ments carried on by sir oliver lodge and others on the influence of electricity on the growth of plants M mr r emilio of buenos alres aires argentine republic at present in the unit ed states has of late years been giving his attention to the practical development of a process lo in which it Is proposed to make use of electrified water for sprinkling fields the in claims that his bla experiments demonstrate the practical utility of such a procedure the benefits which are said to be secured are twofold two fold first there Is a direct advantage to the plants and secondly mr states that according to his observations various harmful insects and other organisms are destroyed because of his process the need or artificial irrigation Is severely felt in many places where owing to the nature of the climate long terms of drought have to be con tended with it Is particularly in such districts as these that mr proposes to introduce his system by the aid of which he expects to increase the crop and to combat effect 16 11 14 0 7 1 r t I 1 ATZ va 14 1 a ar az I 1 W 44 r 71 09 lu 4 4 a owr FRO FROM 1 I I 1 HE EN ril IC A 1 I lon by means of artificial rain dually drought insects and other troubles the cost of the tero tent is estimated at a figure which la Is quite moderate as compared with the benefits to be derived the cost of installation for the sprinkling appa ratus Is figured at 50 to per acre according to local conditions the getem system la Is very simple the water Is raised to a suitable height by a motor or tract traction lon engine the supply may be drawn from a river stream artesian well or any other suitable source two high boners toners may be installed from which pipes are sus by means of suitable support ing cables the pipes apply circular spray nozzles which revolve automat icalla and five to ten acres of land can readily be thus supplied with an evenly shower of water when it Is desired to use electrified water nater a reservoir Is used into which the water amter Is pumped to be subsequently distributed in the manner in dilated above the reservoir consists of an iron tank placed on an insulated support and charged from a dynamo supplying 05 ampere at volts the iron vall of the tank serves as post tive pole the negative pole consists of a copper wire insulated all except the tip it Is claimed that certain chemical reactions take place in the dr water with production of oxygen ozone and peroxide at chii tbd anode and that certain of the prod acts formed are beneficial to lo the P plants a no mr further suggests that this electrification of the water wate r would tend to purify it and bendar it better for drinking purposes mr oleson has installed his apparis in a plantation near duenos buenos alrea aires and states that by the use of six sprinkling nuzzles nozzles at a height of five meters above ground some acres of ground under cultivation were treat ed with beneficial results the appa ratus has also been adopted by the municipality of buenos alres aires and la Is giving satisfaction in the public parks parke and gardens in that city mr also states that during the long drought di ought from which the me republic suffered for over six months in 1910 he be was able to produce a very fine crop of alfalfa and vegetables and to supply the owners of race horses with fresh odder dodder by installing a system of artificial irrigation over some part of t their heir crop farmers should be able to insure themselves against drought falling back upon artificial sprinkling in case natural rain falls |