New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-07-16
THE TRIBUNE.
Curious Notion. respecting the Influence oil III
Moon.


,l;cb We make the following extract
frx.R IxyIUENcEs-On former occasion tx
mod the question respecting the supposed in
sacnce Of the moon upon the weather. and demon
,od thai ~ far AZ actual observation has hitherto
.aoy9ed Grounds for reasoning, there is no discOv
...bie correspondence between the lunar changes
s,d the vicssitudes OF rain and drOuth winch can
,.,ify or In any degree cOuntcnancc the popular be
al "a generally entertained "a 20 dependence OF
.bsnee of weather upon the changes oi the moon
But meteorological phenomena are not the only
secis imputed 10 our satellite that body IKE com
:. 4. made responsible for vast variety of inter
s,snces with organized nature The circulation OF
i igces Of vegetables, the qualities OF gram, the
=, of the vintage are all laid 10 It's account; and
-,ber must be tellcd, the harvest cut down aud
,bered in. the Juice OF the grape expressed, al
.ues and under circumstances regulated by The
,recis Of the moon. il excellence be hoped TOR ma
ssse products Of the soil
According TO popular belief our satellite also pre-
.ies over human maadlcs and the phenomena OIL
40 sick chamber are governed 10y the lunar phases
s,y the very marrow OF our bones. and the weight
a our bodies. suffer increase or diminutiOn 10y lis
nalence Nor is it, imputed power confined TO
obysical or organic effects, ii VIGOROUSLY governs
mental arrangement
lf,hese opinions respecting lunar influence were
limited 10 particular countries they would be less
entitled to serious consideration bat is a curious
fact that many OF them prevail and have prevailed
in quarters of the earth distant and unconnccicd'
hsi il is difficult TO imagine the same error 10 have
proceeded from the same source Al all events, Inc
exep, of their prevalence alone renders them fit
.abec, for serious investigation and propose al
present 10 lay before YOU of the principal facts
and arguments bearing these points, for the col.
lection Of which we are mainly indebted 10 the m
dus,ry and research Of NJ. Arago.
A large volume would be- necessary 10 anayze all
the popular opinions which refer 10 the supposed
lunar influences. We shall cOnilne ourselves there
fore to The principal of them, and shortly examine
how far they can be rccOuciod with the established
principles OF astronomy and play sizes
The Red WooH-l, is believed generally espe-
cany in the noiehborhood of Paris that in certain
months of the wear the moon excrls a great influence
upon the phenomena Of vegetation. Gardeners give
the name OF Red U00H to that moon which Is iull
between the middle of April and the close OF May.
According to them the light of the moon at that
season exercises an injurious influence upon the
Young shoots Of plants. They say that when the
sky is clear, the leaves and buds exposed TO the
lunar light rcdden and are killed as If 10y frost at
time when the thermometer exposed to the Amos
phere stands at many degrees above the freezing
point They say also that if cloudcd sky inter
ceps the moons light, II prevents these injurious
consequences the plants although the circuinsian
ces of temperature are the same ia both cases.
ANY person who Is acquainted with the beautiful
theory of dew. which we owe TO Dr. w ellis, will
End no difficulty in accounting fer these effects cr
rOneously imputed to the moon. If the heavens be
clear and unClOuded, all substances on the surface oil
the earth which are strong and powerful radiators OF
beat lose temperature by radiation, while the un
couded sky returns no heat to them To restore what
they have lost Such bodies. therefore, under these
circumstances become colder than the surrounding
air and may even, itthcy be liquid toe frozen. Ice
ID act is produced, in warm climates. 10y similar
means. But il the armament be cnvelOpcd m
clouds the clouds, having the quality OF radalng
beat will restore by their radiation, To substances
upon the surface of the earth, as much heat as such
substances lose by radiation the temperature there
fore, OF such bodies will be maintained al point
equal To that of the air surrounding them.
Now the leaves and flowers of plants are strong
and powerful radiators of heat when the sky Is clear
they therefore lose temperature and may bc frozen;
H. on the other hand, the sky be clOudcd their tenn.
Peraurc Is maintained for the reasons above stated
The moon. therefore, has no connection whatever
with this effect and ii il certain that plants would
suffer under the same circumstances whether the
moon is above or below the horizon. 1t equally Is
quite that If the moon is above the horizon. the
plants cannot suffer unless II bc visible because a
clear SKI is indispensable as much to the production
noon 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 advcr,cd TO- The popular opinion Is
therefore right a. 10 the effect. but wrong a. L. the
cause, and lis error viii be nj once discovered by
showing that on a clear night. when the moon Is
new aud therefore not visible, the plants may never
iheess suffer
Tine Tor teHing Timbcr-Thcrc i an opinion
generally entertained that timber should be ielled
Only during the decline of the moon for II bc cut
GOWN during It's increase, II will not be OF good or
durable quality This impression prevails ia varions
coaniries. 1t is acted upon in England and Is
made the ground of legislation IN France. The
'@esi laws Of the latter country intcrdict the cut
ing OF timber during the increase of the moon NJ
Aususie de SAINT II lliarc states that he found the
ame opinion prevalent in Brazil Sgnor Francisco
PINTO. an eminent aericulfurist IN the province OF
t'pTiio San,o assured him. the result Of his &
trence that the wood which was not icllcd at thu
MOT The moon was Immediately attacked 10y worms
and very soon roiied
In the extensive forests of Germany. the same
opnion j. entertained and acted upon with the most
-hoolbiing confidence in It's truth. Saucr super
IeaGeni OF of these districts. assigns what he
'eNes 20 be It's ply seal cause. According 10 HIM,
* hcfease OF the moon causes the sap 10 ascend IN
1e timber and. on the other hand the decrease of
ae moon causes lis descent. Ii the timber. there
Nfe be ca, during the decrease OF the moon il will
g cot in a dry state, the sap having retired and
Ae wood therefore will be compact solid and da
'Soe. But If il be cut during the increase OF the
noon. will be iccd 18th the sap in IL. and will
therefore DC more spOnsy. more easily attacked 10y
worms. more difficult 10 season and more readily
SA and warped by changes OF temperature.
Admitting Tor moment the reality of this suppO.
MON concerning the motion OF the sap, Il would fol
=" that the proper time for telling the timber
.Sad be the new moon that being the epoch at
'aich the descent of the sap would have been
Saae and the ascent not vet commenced. bul can
1s'e be ina med in the whole range 81 natural
ssTnce. physical relation more extraordinary ana
accountable than this supposed correspondence
Neen The movement of the sap and the phases oil
a as noon Assuredly theory affords not the sight
eV1nensncc 10 such a supposiiion; bnl ict us M
~ as 10 the fact whether Il be really the case
~ ue quality Of timber depends upon The state OF
moon al the time IL Is fcllcd
~ Dahamel Monccau. celebrated French agri
e. !. Isl has made direct aud positive experiments
81 we purpose of testing this question and has
,ia ana conclusivciy shown that the qualities Of
AZ ). relied IN different parts OF the lunar monts
~ "s same. VI Duhame iced great many
ana y 'ne same age, growing from the same soil.
A., az posed 10 the same aspect and never found
ca s Inference in the quality of the timber when be-
Of ,tpa'eu those which were icled in the decline
IN. We moon. with those whichwerc f,lled during III
s,,.e ~ general they have afforded timber of the
ssr.af ua,y Tie adds. however. that by a circum
fe,n.e "nch was doubtless iortui,ous a slishi dit
~'saee was manifested in favor OF timber which