Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-29
FOR RENT.
FARM AND GARDEN.
INFLUENCE OF THE MOON IL Az.
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INFLUENCE OF THE MOON IL AZ.
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Who has not heard practical farmers tel
Of the various effects which the moon pro
duces upon all the operations which engage
the attention of the agriculturalist? We
have never believed that the "Queen of
Night" presided over either animal or veg
etable life, and careful observation has con-
irmed US in this opinion. If we mistake
not, the Department Of Agriculture, at
Washington, instituted series of observa-
lions some years ago for the purpose of
testing the influence of the moon over the
,Erowth of plants, and the conclusion
Preached was that it had no influence what
ever.
We once heard very intelligent farmer
say that be had preserved careful record
of bis farming operations for number of
years for the purpose of determining to what
extent the moon governed the growth of
plants, and be had never been able to find that
the phase Of the moon during which he
sowed his seed had any effect upon the
yield. A correspondent Of the University
Monthly recently addressed letter TO that
journal requesting the opinion of Commo-
dore Maury upon the question. Mr.. Mag
ry readily replied and We recommend his
views to the attention of our readers. He
says:
"The main point is, have the changes of
the moon any influence upon the weather?
Some Of the transatlantic sdUdRS have gone
very fully into this question, and, after
having patiently discussed q vast number
of observations in both hemispEeres, and
for . series Of years, the conclusion was that
the flIeica of the moon upon changes of
the weather is practically nil. In summing
up for averages, there were found few
more changes on the side of the full moon;
the off renee, however, was small, and
was considered to be merely accidental.
1.-The sun is always shining upon one
half Of tie moon, and how her powers of
gTavitsiCn are 10 be affected by our seeing
n ole or less Of the bah sbOne upon, it is
Diff ulI TO conceive. -
MANY fancy, iEat as the moon governs
the Tide al sea, so there are lunar tides in
the atmosphere; and that as these are sup
pose Uo be gr Attest about full and change,
the moon when near those stages should
tell With most effect upon the weather.
But the most patient observers have never
be en- able, even with the incest instruments,
TO detect the existence of any such tide
in the atmosphere. Theoretically, per-
APPS, il does ,Xist; but so feebly, tnat no
H.. A..vr has aE harV, IT,
euC ugh 10 detect II, And this will not ap-
per surprising " hen we remember that if
the Whole atmosphere We're reduced to the
density of Sc l-waycT, it would be enough to
cover the earth with layer only two feet
ana half thick. Now, suppose the gen
eral vel u The ocean TO be raised by the
addition # these Two feet and half: does
any one who has ever watched the tides,
m4iut.in that this addition of two and q
half feet 10 the depth Of seas, that is
measured by miles, would have any 0ppre-
cjdJle effect upon the rise and fall OF The
tides?
II have great respect for popular beliefs
or sUpers iJlous. AS rule, they generally
have more or less of true philosophical
principle at the bottom of them. Aud of
all sources for popular beliefs and supersti-
tious, the moon is the most proli c. Nor
10 this surprising: she rules the night, and
alters her aspects daily. And though she
is changing every hour, day and night, yet,
for convenience, she is said TO change as
she arrives at the four Stages Of new and
full, first aud last quarter, through all of
which she passes once in every 20 days and
halt; therefore she changes once in every
~ day; Consequently every change in the
weather must take place within the period
of SO days, either before or after a
moon change. Hence The popular fallacy
about Der changes and the weather, for every
weather-cha sc must be within SO days
befOe or after a moon-cbangs, and her
EorshippeTs give her all the credit Of it.
Now let US suppose that some one, dispu-
ting the il 1ueuce of the mooD, should hold
that the wea her changes, so far from &C.
curing about the periods Of moon-cbanges,
are most apt to occur about the time when
the moon is just midway between two
chang. 8. TIL u is, the conditions of the bet
are these: Of al the weather changes
VIII ch occur between new moon and first
quarter, for instance, more occur about the
me when she is halfway between these
two stag S, than about the time when she
is al Them. Let US, for convenience, call
ask BE ,es azzar To be umpire. He will then
have 70 DIVIDE luuaiion Ito eight stages,
four change, and four for ''acdger," with
an iIte. Va of5.6 days between them; bali OF
this interval belongs to wager" and half
TO he moon; and for the moon to win, it
must appear that more than half the wea
ther-chsrees during the lunations took
place within the period Of l.S days either
before or after moon change.
Now, Then, let BelJeshazzar's neighbors
who believe in the moon, take their alma
La S and note for every lunation the time
Of the todT changes, and then observe the
wearher-changes year by year, giving to his
tickle ggdd IS the credit of all those that
take place IN | s days q. E. 49 hours near
enough Of mOOn-change, before or after.
Then, If These changes for every lunation
count more than the Others, be may say she
docs Influence the weather. But l doubt
if, I'LL that IS done, it can be said with a
Q Z. Dr.