The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-09-21
Weather Signs and Moon Fallaciss.


Every man has some way Of telling
the changes Of the weather, or rather
thinks So He fixes oa some rule and
agrees with himself that he will believe
the weather to be thus or thus, accord
ing as his rule demands.
These signs do not generally receive
from those who follow them a very
critical investigation. When a man
says, 81 have noticed for more than
forty years that always, when," etc., it
may be quietly assumed that he has
noticed no such thing. He has heard
some one say thus or soj he has vague
idea that once or twice no has seen the
sign come true, but the dozens Of times
when it utterly failed, he paid no regard
TO.
1t is o common saying that there will
come q change Of the weather with the
change OF the moon. Now, as the moon
changes once week, change of weath-
or must come somewhere near a change
Of the moon. But take .oug series
OF observations, such as those made by
the agents for the Smithsonian Insti-
tute-observatious which give the state
Of the thermometer, the direction of
the wind, character Of the clouds and
fall Of rain in particular place noted
three times day for years, aud by
comparing the changes Of the moon, we
find that there is NO traceable counec-
tion between the two--that sometimes
the weather changes with the moon and
just as often does not
The moon changes on the same day
all over the earth. A chlnge Of weather
moves more slowly than the moon, SO
that if the moon and weather run to-
gether on the Atlantic coast, they
would not DO on the Rockey Mountains
or on the Pacific coast Again, when
the weather is very wet on the Atlantic
slope, it may be very dry in the Missis-
sippi Valley. If it change from wet to
dry 10 one place, it should change from
dry TO wet in the other. People forget
that the moon changes elsewhere than
in their own township.
Says some old farmer, at will turn
warm next week, Tuesday, for there is
u change Of the nooon." "Turn warm
where 7" we ask him. "Why, turn warm
here" But the moon will change up
in Alaska-will it turn warm there 7
And it has already turned warm down
in Texas--has the moon already chang.
ed there--or does not Texas weather 90
by the moon
Says some OLD observer, 81 have no.
ticed for more than fDrty years that the
FIRST frost in the Fall comes at the time
OF the full Of the moon" But the first
frost does not come at the same time in
Montreal, Philapelphia, aud Savannah
and if the first frost in Montreal comes
on a half moon, the first 10 New York
could not be before the first full moon,
aud Richmond would have to wait till
another moon before it could have n
frost; and the first frost would not
come in Cuba before the next July.
''Beans should be planted 10 the new
of the moon," says some old fellow who
has had 'experienoe." But beans
should not be planted in Missouri at
the same time US in Arkansas or Louis
iana, and If each latitude must wait for
a new moon for bean planting, the peo-
pie up in Dakota or British America
would not get in their beans at all.
"rhe 2Slh Of the month, says an
other, "shows what is to be the prevail
ing weather for the next month" But
a while ago the almanac was changed
from old style to new style, and now
the 18th comes at different time BY
eleven days from what it did before.
Is it just as reliable to reckon from as
before We reckon ii is.
If the new moon is tipped up SO that
you can hang powder horn on it, the
month will be dry oDe--or wet one
the weather prophets are not agreed
which.
When the sun crosses the line on the
10th of March or September, we shall
have an equinoctial storm 10 March,
aud one may come somewhere near the
Goth, but il may have as much connec-
ton with St. Putrick's Day as with the
sun crossing the line.
Let mau take notes Of the matter
for series of years, and set them down
on paper he win be able to test these
signs. But the hap hazard recoIlections
of an old farmer are no guide. lie
thinks he has observed, when in fact he
has paid no strict attention to the mat
ter at all.-Kansds City Bulletin.
gaeret Marriaoer