Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-08-07

Il
circumstances, whether the moon is above
or below the horizon. liequally is quite
true tina, il the moon is above the horizon
the plants cannot suffer unless il be visi.
BILE, because clear skyis indispensable
ss much 10 tho production oil the injury
10 the plants as to the visibility OF the
moon; and, on the other hand, the same
clouds which veil the moon and intercept
her light give back TO the plants that
warmth which prevents the injury here
adverted 10. The popular opinion IS 'here-
fore right as to the effect. but wrong as TO
The cause; and IFS error will be ct once
discovered by showing that on clear
night, when the moon is new, and there
fore mol visible, the plants may neyerthe-
less suffer.
Time for Telling Timber.
There is an opinion generally enter
tanned that timber should be felled only
during the decline of the moon; for il it
be cut down during its increase, it will not
be OF a good or durable quality. This
impression prevails in various countries
1t is acted upon in England, and is made
the ground OF legislation 10 France. The
fores, laws of the latter country inierdict
the cutting OF timber during the increase
of the moon. NJ. Auguste de Saint Hill.
are states that he found the same opinion
prevalent in Brazil. Signor Francisco
Pinto, an eminent agriculiuralst IN the
province OF Espirito Sarto, assured him,
as the result of his experience, that the
wood which was not feIed al the full Of
the moon was Immediately attacked by
worms and very soon rotted.
In the extensive forests in Germany,
the same opinion is entertained and acted
upon with the most undoubiicg confidence
IN its truth. Sauer, superintendent Of
of one Of these districts, assigns what he
believes to be its physical cause. Ac-
cording to him, the increase Of tho moon
causes the sap to ascend in the timber;
and, OR the other hand the decrease Of
the moon causes its descent. IL the tim
Der, therefore, be cut during the decrease
of the moon, it will be cut in dry state,
the sap having retired; and the wood,
therefore, will be compact, solid and du-
rable. But if it be cut during the in
crease of the moon, il will be felled with
the sap in it, and will therefore be more
spongy, more easily attacked by worms,
more difficult to season, and more readily
split and warped by changes of tempera-
ture.
Admitting for moment the reality Of
this supposltion concerning the motion of
the sap, it would follow that the proper
time for felling the timber would be the
new moon. that being the epoch at which
the descent OF the sap would have been
made and .he ascent not yet commenced.
Blu, can there be imagined Ill the whole
range of natural science, a physical re-
lation more extraordinary and unaccoun-
table than this supposed correspondence
between the movement OF the sap and the
phases Of the moon? Assuredly theory
affords not the slightest counlenance to
such a suppostion; but lot US inquire as
to the fact whether it be really the case
that the quality of timber depends upon
the state Of the moon at the time i; is fel-
led.
! NJ Duhamel Monceau, a celebrated
French agriculturalist, has made direct
and positive experiments for the purpose
of testing the question:; and has clearly
and concusively shown that the qualities
OF timber felled in dIfferen, parts Of the
lunar month are the same. M. Duhamel
felled a great many trees Of the same age
and growing from the same soil, and ex-
posed to the same aspect. and never
found any difference in the quality of the
timber when Re compared those which
were felled in the decline OF the moon,
with those which were felled during It's
increase; in general they have afforded
timber of the same quality. He adds,
however, that by circumstance, which
was doubtless fortuitous, slight differ
ence was manifested in favor of timber
which had been feled between The new
and full moon-contrary to popular opn.
ION.
Supposed Lunar Influence on Vegetables.
1t is an aphorism received by all gar
deners and agriculturalists in Europe, that
vegeta bles, plants. and trees, which are
expected to flourish and grow with vigor,
should be planted, grated, and pruned,
during the increase OF the moon. This
opinion is altogether erroneous. The IN.
crease or decrease of the moon has no ap-
preciabe influence on the phenomena OF
vegetation; and the experiments and OBJ
servatons of several French agricultural.
ISIS, and especially Of NJ. Duhamel de
Moncesu (a!ready alluded to) have clear
ly established this.
Montanari has attempted, like NJ. Sauer,
to assign the physical cause for this imag-
nary effect During the day, he says, the
solar heat augments the quantity Of sap
which crculates in plants by increasing
the magnitude of the tube through which
the sap moves; while the cold OF the night
produces the opposite effect by conirac.
ting these tubes. Now, at the moment of
sunset, if the moon be increasing, 1t will
De above The horizon, and the warmth OF
its light would prolong the circulation OF
the sap; but, during its decline, it will not
rise for considerable time after sunset,
and the plants will be suddenly exposed
to the unmiiigated cod Of the night, by
which sudden contraction Of leaves and
tubes will be produced, and the circula.
E.l