Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-09-07
TIE RECENT LUNAR Discoveries

1t is only very recently that the capital no,
ton SO persistently maintained by certain as
tronomers, the utterly lifeless waste of the
moons surface, has been explored The way
this idea got prevalence was in denying the
existence OF an atmosphere around the moon,
state OF things that would of necessity ex-
clude the exlstance of water and organic life
from our satellite. This theory led to the fur.
ther denial of heat in the lunar ravs, from
which flowed multitude of errors
But Knox and Melvia have proved by exact
observation, that there is heat in moonshine,
and Lantodeschir has measured it in its eff
tects upon the mmosa, while an English
scholar has demonstrated that the earth is
colder IN the first quarter of the moon than
itisin the second. Again, moonshine exerts
a wondeful influence on plants. Light ena,
bles them to absorb carbon from the carbouic
acid gas of the atmosphere, and as this is
their daily work, they sleep at night, except
when the moon wakes them up and sets them
to work again. So the farmer is right who
sows his wheat Just before the full of the moon.
for the plants come up about the time of the
new moon, and pass their infancy under the
dark night, but when the full moon comes its
light sets them to work, and thus the process
OF growing is continued night and day, while
a contrary course is I'M iu,iouS to the tender
plants which require sleep.
The sailors say that the moon eats up the
clouds, and Whewell and Rueteet have prov.
ed the truth of the observation, by showing
that more rain falls in the dark moon than in
its second and third quarters.
Webb has shown by a careful com parison of
the moons surface with that made by Mad
Ter twenty years ago that it has undergone
oha IL,
have assumed different shapes. These
indicate the existence of air aud water
Seechi has demonstrated that the peaks of
the highest mountains of the moon are COW
cred with snow, De la Rive has discovered
that what used to be regarded as barren
plains, are extensive forests. Schwabe the
discoverer of the periodical times of the suns
spots, sustains this discovery ofDe la Rive's
After a careful examination, he found the
furrows to consist of trees, leafess at one sea-
son, and in full foliage at another, for the
changes in their appearance are periodic
Hence another proof Of atmosphere and wa
ter and all the phenomena incident to the ex-
istence f the elements.
The photography of the moons surface,
now going on in the American and European
observatories, and the special attention paid
to the study of the lunar surface BY some of
the most distinguished astronomers of the
day, cannot fail to result in more wonderful
discoveries than those which wejust noticed
We have no doubt the mass will be found to
be of the same character as that of the
earth, and subject to similar laws of exis-
tence, and that the surface will be found to
be capable of sustaining organic life.-Balti,
more Patriot.
The Middlebury (Vt.) Register says
that tens and prehaps hundreds of thou
sands of bushels of oats will be DESTROYED
in Addison County, the present season,
by grasshoppers.
A barn belonging to German farmer
named Gerhard Lieppe, in Manitowoc Co.,
was struck by lightning on Monday night
last, and burned, with all its contents.
consisting of the grain crop just gathered.
and three head of cattle,
On Monday evening of last week, the
house of Mr.. Isaac Colder, In the village
of Elkhorn, was struck by lightning, but no
material damage was done. George Bur-
fee, also of Elkhorn, had a COW killed by
lightning on the same evening.
Every intelligent physician is ready 10
enter his strong and solemn protest against
the pernicious abuse of human life and
health caused by immoderate smoking, now
so universal-morning neon, evening, mid
night, eternal smoking. It is impossible but
that this vile sensuality, and ineessant. un
natural stimulus of the brain and heart must
weaken the nervous power, clog the seere'
tions. impair the digestion, disturb the under
standing, stint the young, and shorten the
days of all It's victims,