Show plants thrive 1000 feet underground in experiments made in south wales strange discoveries 1000 feet below the surface of the earth have recently proved that plants can flourish without the aid of sunlight A few months ago a south wales colliery was wired tor for electric light and globes of a sunlight type were fitted within a few weeks patches of green plant life began to appear land and have since developed to strong growths viscount weymouth an enthusiastic explorer of the cheddar caves recently wired some of the caverns for floodlights flood lights to show off the gleaming metals in the rocks after a few months small plants were found to be thriving in the lamp rays and they have now developed into patches several feet wide when london buildings were floods lit for the coronation it was found that small plants were beginning to grow in wall crevices near each light these plants were not of the type found in london parks but had come from the country and even from the tropics the minute seeds being carried on currents of air but as soon as the lights were removed the plants withered and died the blue mercury mercury lamps which are now used in many london sub arbs have also brought new life to trees shrubs and plants that are near them the rays apparently have the same effect as sunshine and gardens under the direct glow of the lamps are blooming while others out of the lamps range are a mass of withered leaves it seems as though we may one day be able to pick select blooms on a winters day thanks to the use t of the right kind of electric lamp I 1 |