Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!samsung!usc!apple!ems
From: ems@Apple.COM (Mike Smith)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: cows and high tension wires
Message-ID: <5605@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 5 Dec 89 18:32:43 GMT
References: <6446@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> <2965@psivax.UUCP>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 24

In article <2965@psivax.UUCP> torkil@psivax.UUCP (Torkil Hammer) writes:
>In article <6446@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> jans@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Jan Steinman) writes:
>#
>#Seriously, one thing that left a big impression was being up in my tree house, 
>#looking over the fields at the quite noticeable "bump" running directly under 
>#the lines where all the crops grew bigger.
>
>The explanation I read about 30 years ago was in terms of metals leaching
>out of the wires, specifically zinc, and droppings from resting birds, and
                                ^^^^
Most big wires today are aluminum, in the past they were copper.  Why zinc?
Electrolytically refined copper has little zinc left in it.

The birds tent to congregate on the towers.  Was/is there a higher growth
under the tower than under the 'droop'?

-- 

E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has
 genius, power and magic in it.'  -  Goethe

I am not responsible nor is anyone else.  Everything is disclaimed.