Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-28
THs MOON AND The WEATHER.

NO belief is more general than that tn
moon exercises an influence over tn,
weather. People who declare that the,
are not superstitious in the smallest degree
believe that a change in the weather is al
most certain to occur with every change il
the moon. Perhaps they inherited the be.
lief, but if they did not they acquired il
in very early life and strengthened il
through years of observation. Their OBJ
servations were not very accurate, and
their methods of recording them far from
methodical. They believed that the
weather changes with the moon, and when
a sudden change did occur at the appear.
ance of new, quarter, half or full moon
they remembered it and sometimes noted
it down. II the weather did not change
at about the same time the moon
| did, they did not charge their mem.
DRY with the failure. By means like
these they became more strongly convinced
OF the influence of the moon on the
weather. Other circumstances tended to
confirm the belief. Every almanac displays
the various phases of the moon with the
time OF the occurrence of each. These at
least suggest that the event is of very cen
siderable consequence, for no notice would
| be taken OF it if it was not of Importance,
Many think, without being informed of the
| fact, that the time of the moons changes
are accurately given so that people NAV
| know when there is to be a change in the
weather. Farmers, whose crops are largely
| influenced by the weather, study the alma.
nae very diligently, and often with view
of forecastipg the weather. In fact thew
often plan to commence a certain kind OF
work at given time or to put off certain
labors on account of expected changes in
the weather, which, they think, are condi.
toned on changes Of the moon.
Scientific men in different times and in
various countries have attempted to over.
turn the popular and almost universal be-
lief that the moon influences the weather.
They have been at the trouble of keeping
an accurate account of the prevalence of
winds, the fall of water, the degree of TEN.
persture, and other phenomena, with
view OF showing whether changes are more
likely to occur at one time in the lunar
month than at another. They have all
come to the conclusion that no coincidence
exists between the changes Of the moon
and those Of the weather. At the meeting
of the British Association for the Advance.
ment of Science, this year, Sir William
Thomson stated that careful observation
with the barometer, Thermometer and ane.
mometer, at the time of new moon, full
moon and half moon, has failed TO establish
any relation whatever between the phases
of the neon and the weather." and that
90 if there is any dependence of the weather
on the phases of the moon, It is only
to a degree quite inperceptible to
ordinary observation" Sill it is
questionable if this announcement
will in the least shake the faith of farmers
and sailors, WHO, more than other classes of
persons, are directly interested in the
weather, in their old ideas about the in
fuence of the moon upon it. They will
go through life not expecting to zee a
drought broken" or the cessation OF a
continuous rain till the moon changes.
Neither will their faith be changed in the
favorable or unfavorable influence of the
moon On certain crops planted at different
times in the lunar month. They will con-
tinue to plant potatoes and other root crops
sin the dark on the moon," and to sow
small grains in the light of the moon"
They will slaughter their hogs and their
bullocks, if they are intended for home
consumption, when the moon is on the in.
crease, so that "tbe meat will not waste
away in the frying. PAN" They will, how.
ever, lay up rail fence while the moon is
decreasing in size so as to prevent the rails
from warping and from rottiLg out before
their time.
1t may be said that no evil results from
believing in harmless superstition. Such,
however, is not always the case. DR..
Draper has shown that superstitious people
are very likely to be conquered in war.
They will not set out on a march or ge
| in any hazardous undertaking unless all the
signs and omens are favorable. If ttey
place reliance in lucky and unlucky days
they will accomplish less in given time
than people who regard all days as of
equal value Ii they rely on supernatural
aid they will not use their best exertions.
They will attribute victory or defeat to
other than human and natural causes. If
such are the effects of belief in superstil
tions On people engaged in war, similar
unfavorable effects would be observed
among people engaged in peace
full pursuit like that of farming. The
delay of two weeks in planting a crop
would often result in failure. 1t is likely
that the general belief in certain agricult-
ural superstitions has had much to do with
rendering farming Improbable. 1t is gen.
orally very difficult to discover the origin
| of a superstition, on account of its great
antiquity. Superstitious beliefs are the
oldest we inculcate. They are also among
the first that are received in childhood.
They are taught in the nursery long before
we learn to read, and many years before
we commence to study science. Such be-
liefs are very difficult to dispose Of. Our
judgment may condemn them as follies,
but they remain to influence our actions.
Few persons are willing to acknowledge
that they are superstitious, although they
hold to beliefs having no foundation on
carefully considered observations made by
themselves or others. They hold to the doc.
trine that relations exist between certain
things that cannot be explained with our
present knowledge of science.