§ MR. AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture for Ireland if he can 1341 now state what are the results of the inquiry promised regarding certain experiments made by Mr. O'Sullivan, of Athea, county Limerick, in the improvement of the potato crop by the introduction of electricity through lightning conductors distributed through the crops by means of wires, by which it was stated that an increase of 80 per cent. was shown.
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IRELAND (Mr. PLUNKETT,) Dublin, County, S.A Departmental inspector has visited Athea to make inquiry on this i subject. The inspector reported that the experiments conducted last year by Mr. O'Sullivan to test the influence of electricity on the growth of potatoes were too limited in extent to warrant conclusive deductions. Similar experiments on a larger scale are, it is stated, in progress this year under Mr. O'Sullivan's direction, and will be watched with interest by the Department.