Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-12

tN6y WeTo uuaUlo W give pOSltiFO PlooI
or even reasons. Others believed in
the moon with exactly the same kind
of faith. But while there were many
who did not think that the moon in.
fuenced crops, there were quite mum.
Der who thought it certainly influenced
the quality of timber. Nine out of 1C
said that timber felled in the dark oi
the moon would continue wet and
sobby, impossible to season, while tim.
Der cut in the light of the moon would
season quickly and become light and
dry. Only few gave testimony to
the effect that they had ever gotten
opposite and perfectly satisfactory re-
suits from timber cut in the "dark" OF
the moon. One man, however-and
he is intelligent and reliable-said that
he had felled timber in the dark of the
moon and had it to season as nicely as
any he had ever seen.
One of the most positive disbelievers
in the moon theory was an old gentle
man who is between 70 and 80 years
of age. He has been engaged in farm
ing much of his life, and has always
been recognized of an unusually inves'
tigating turn of mind. He says that
he has noted the moon superstition
with more or less humor all his life.
He calls it superstition, because he
is convinced that it is such, and
started on his career with that in.
formation as part of his stock OF
experience. Here is the story with
which he explains his position. "In
his day and time, my grandfather
was looked upon by his neighbors as
a man of much more than ordinary
intelligence. He was not what you
would call an educated man but still
he could read and write, and keep ac'
counts, etc. He was farmer all bis
life, and up until he was 80 years OF
age worked in the field at whatever
was to be done. He was a great be-
lever in the moon, and what he did
not know about the moons influence
on crops, nobody else knew. He would
not think of planting, killing hogs or
doing anything else that the moon is
supposed to have control of, unless the
moon was right. After he was forced,
by age, etc., to quit his active labors
in the field, be continued to direct op-
erations, saw that proper respect was
paid to the moon, and kept careful
diary of everything that was done
on the farm, showing just where
the moon was when different crops
were planted. He kept this up for
20 wears. He lived to be 1O1 years
of age. Well, about a year before
he died, he was entirely converted.
To his children, grand children, friends
and neighbors, he repeatedly made
this observation well, now I ain a
hundred years old, and have only
reached that age to discover what a
fool I have been all my life. All this
time, have believed that the moon
exercised a most important influence
on every crop, and during the past ~
wears l have demonstrated beyond a
possible doubt that its influence on
the crop is simply nothing" So the
old gentleman, who bas had the bene-
fit of this experience, is thoroughly
convinced that there is absolutely
nothing in the moon theory.
Ordinarily this might be taken to
settle the whole question but still l
was not satisfied. I had heard OF
another intelligent farmer who had
the reputation of being not only thor.
oughly informed as to the influence OF
the moon but who could give me
some facts and figures. 1 had talk
with him and he got me all mixed up
again.
81 have been noticing the moon for
80 years." he said, sand it certainly
exerts not only a wonderful influence
on timber, but on all manner of crops.
And why not? Your geography
teaches you that the moon influences
the tides, and if it influences the tides,
why not other things? No, I cannot
give you reasons; but I can give you
something that is better-l mean
facts"
"When I was young man growing
up, I did not believe much in the
moon. But one day an old gentleman
who did believe in it, gave me the
whole theory, etc. 1 was going to
build fence, and he told me to cut
nv timber in the light of the moon.
1t was convenient to carry out his ad-
vice and I did as he said but as l
wanted to satisfy myself little fur
ther, I experimental some. I went
out in the dark of the moon, cut a
pine sapling about 20 feet long and
threw it down in wornout olG field.
The next week I cut another sappling,
lust like the first in the light of the
moon, also put it out in the field by
the side of the first. At the end of
two years the sapling that had cut in
the dark of the moon was so rotten
that it would not hold up its own
weight, while the other was still sound.
I cut another sapling in the dark of
the moon and let it lie for two years,
at the end of which time, both it and
the sapling that I had cut in the light
of the moon were rotten. The test
was in every way absolutely fair, and
the light of the moon sapling lasted
Just twice as long as the other.
"Since then," the gentleman contin-
ued, 81 have made other tests, not only
for nv own satisfaction but for the sat-
isfaction of others. For instance l
ve;obad cord of wood cut i'm the