§ MR. AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Board of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland if his attention has been directed to a series of experiments made by Mr. O'Sullivan, of Athea, in the county of Limerick, with a view of improving potato growing; whether he is aware that under this new system an increase of 80 per cent. in the crop is shown; and will the Department cause inquiries to be made into the matter.
THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IRELAND (Mr. PLUNKKTT,) Dublin County, S.My attention has been called to the experiments referred to in the question. I understand that Mr. O'Sullivan attributes the extraordinary increase in his potato crop to the action of electricity introduced through lightning conductors and distributed through the crop by means of wires. As both the parish priest of Athea and the county surveyor of Limerick are satisfied both as to the effect and the cause of this remarkable phenomenon, I shall have inquiries made on behalf of the Department.
§ MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)Can the right hon. Gentleman say what the cost per acre of electricity is?
§ MR. PLUNKETTThe Department has not made its inquiries yet.