River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-02
we stood, but we'd cry quits, and that
would pay the trip.
This comes unknown to st. J..
The Green Fields Of the Noon.

From the Scientific American,
When the moon is at the full, the
eye readily distinguishes
on her face certain dark gray spots
more or less sharply separated from
the brighter portions. Through the
telescope these spots appear as broad,
level spaces resembling terrestrial
seas. Indeed, the earlier observers
them for seas, and by that
name latin, mare) they are known to
this day. They are not seas, however,
but ancient sea-beds, now probably
nearly, if not quite destitute of water;
vast arid basins like the Sahara, or the
great interior Utah basin of our own
country.
Examined more closely, these dried
up sea.beds are seen to have rolling
surface like some of our western pral-
ries, or to be trayersed by numerous
long ridges, resembling the wave-like
sand-hills which give so marked aud
particular an appearance to the deserts
of western Australia, the leyeler pOr-
tions being dotted with low mounds,
interspersed with small crater pits.
In many places formation of an appar.
emily alluvial character abound, while
the ancient coast lines show distinct
traces of water action. Two of these
lunar plains-Mare IIumorum and Mare
Chrisium-are walled in completely by
lofty mountains, presenting stupen-
dOus precipices to the vanished sea.
The larger mares are more like ocean
beds. They run together as terrestrial
oceans do, and sometimes merge into
the brighter continental regions, with
out distinct line of demarkation. In
other places they show a rugged coass
line, rising into cliffs and peaks, and
pierced by valleys and ravines,
One of the most conspicuous of these
lunar beds, also one of the deepest, is
known as the Mare Serenitatis. It's
area is nearly $4,000 square miles.
Within its dark gray border, from 30
to 80 miles wide, is an extensive inner
plain which at times fine, clear,
light green tint, with central streak
of pure white, the green area lying
lower apparently than the green eXte-
rior. The green tint is difficult to
catch, except under favorable con-
ditions, and is much weakened by the
effect of numerous small white round
pOIS anu gray lIuStS.
Another of the moons green plains
was discovered by Nader in the Mare
Humorum, already mentioned. This
is one of the smallest as well as most
distinctly bOrdered of the dark gray
plains. It's area is $4,000 square miles.
The greater portion of it's interior is
distinctly tinged dusky green, some
times very marked, affording strong
contrast with the pure gray Of the
borders and high-enclosing ridges. On
| the west the green area extends nearly
| to the edge of the mare, but else
where. as in the Mare Serenitatus, it
is separated from the border by mar
row. darker gray fringe, except on the
northwest, where the gray and green
areas merge insensibly into each
other.
Still another area of green is OBJ
served in the Mare Chrisium, one OF
the most conspicuous OF the moons
dark plains. 1t is completely inclosed
and is, perhaps, the deepest OF the
lunar mares. Its area is $4,000 square
miles. It's general tint is gray
mixed with an unmistakable tinge OF
green, especially under high illumina
ton. This verdant hue is seen 20 best
advantage for several days before and
after the moon is full.
These and other color changes or
the face of the moon-as, for instance
the darkening of the great ring plain
of Plato with increasing light, and like
changes in certain long winding lunal
valleys-led Beer and Maldler to sug
gest that they would indicate vegeta
ton, were vegetation possible on the
face of the moon But, having accept
ed Bessel's conclusion that there car
be neither air nor water on the lunM
surface, and consequently no life, those
much-respected selenographers could
not entertain the hypothesis of lunar
vegetation, however strong the cyl
dence might seem.
But Bessel's opinion is incOnsistali
not only with the conditions on which
he based his calculations, but also Will
the results of more recent studies oil
the conditions of the moons surface
SO far from being an airless, waterless
unalterable desert, q chalgelesS mass
of dead matter like so much volcanic
scoria. The moon is now known tC
have an atmosphere of considerable
volume and density, to present abun
dant evidence of physical activity anC
change, and to have in all probability
water enough to make life easily pos
sible on its surface. The moon is dy
ing, but very far from dead. Being
so much smaller than the earth, it has
run its course more rapidly, but is still
a good way from that goal of ultimate
| - al,
mers have theoretically assigned it.
there is not the slightest adequate evl
dence of the popular view, and "ItS
truth would be admitted by no astron
omer who has devoted sufficient atten
ton to selenography to enable him to
thoroughly realize the probable pres
ent condition of the moon.
Such being the case, the hypothesis
that the moons green plains derive
their color from vegetation seems to
be impossible or absurd. The evi.
dence is not of character to Justify a
positive assertion that the mythical
man in the moon may have abundant
pasturage for his cattle; but his case
ceases to be absolutely hopeless when
a thorough-going selenographer can
say, as Nelson does, that the moon
may possess an atmosphere that must
be regarded as fully capable of sustain
| ing various forms of vegetation OF
even an advanced type; that it does
not appear how it can justly be ques-
toned that the lunar surface in favor
able positions may yet retain sufii-
cheney of moisture to support vegeta-
ton of many kinds; and that, in a very
considerable portion of the entire sur
face of the moon, the temperature
would not vary sufficiently to material.
ly affect the existence of vegetable
life.
o
The Jews.
1t is curious, not to say amusing, to
see how people resent the introduction
i NssM