RADIOCULTURE, PLANTS AND CAMILLE FLAMMARION

Have you ever heard of radioculture? It studies the effects of solar radiation on plant-growing. In the late 19th century, the great Camille Flammarion made fascinating experiments with differently coloured glasshouses, thus observing the effects on plants of colours like blue or red.

To know more about his amazing experiments, check out our "Free Resources" Page.

And if you try them yourself, please let us know and share with us (our email).

Camille Flammarion

by Eugène Pirou, 1883

Source: Wikimedia Commons

ELECTROCULTURE IN AUSTRALIA IN THE 1920S

From an historical point of view, France and Great-Britain were the two most innovative countries in the field of electroculture. So, it is no surprise that experiments were made in Australia too.

It was then a pleasure to find the precious book of Alexander Carr Bennett, Electroculture, the application of electricity to seeds in vegetable growing, which had disappeared, and to republish it.

A. Carr Bennett made experiments during nine years on all kinds of plants and published his book in 1921. The book of the Frenchman Justin Christofleau, Electroculture, published a few years later and also republished by us, was distributed in Australia too.

These two innovators inspired many farmers, and other experiments were made in Australia, like shown on these pictures of 1927 taken at Yeerongpilly, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. The system seems to come from Justin Christofleau's.

Unfortunately, as almost everywhere, electroculture was replaced by agrochemicals and disappeared, whereas it could be nowadays a stunning tool, even in drought-stricken regions.