The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-19
MOON AND THE CROPS.
what is Their Probable Relation to Each
Other.
Yorkrille Enquirer.


man of much more than ordinary in
telligence. 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 his
life. and up until he was so years Of |
age worked in the field at whatever
was to be done. He was 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, he continued
to direct operations, 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 years. He lived to be 101
years Of age. Well, about year be-
fore he died, he was entirely convert
ed. To his children, grandchildren,
friends and neighbors, he repeatedly
made this observation: Well, now I
am hundred years old. and I have
only reached that age so discover what
fool I have been all my life. All
this time, have believed that the
moon exercised most important in
fuencc on every crop, and during the
past 20 years have demonstrated be-
yond possible doubt that its influ-
ence on the crop is simply nothing
So the old gentleman, who has had the
benefit Of this experience, is thorough
ly convinced tha. there is absolutely
nothing in the moon theory
Ordinarily this might be taken to
settle the whole question; but still I
was not satisfied. I had heard of an
other intelligent farmer who had the
reputation Of being not only thorough
ly info. med as to the influence of the
moon; but who could give me some
facts and figures. l had talk with
him aud he got me all mixed up again.
81 have been noticing the moon for
30 years." he said, ''and it certainly
exerts not only 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-I
mean facts.
s'When I was young man growing
up, / did not believe much in the
moon. Rut one day an old gentleman
who did believe in it, gave me the
whole theory, etc. I was going to
build fence, and he told Die to cut
my timber in the light:of the moon.
It was convenient to carry out his ad-
vice and did as he said; but as I
wanted to satisfy myself little fur
ther, experimented some. I went
out in the dark Of the moon, cut a
pine sapling about 20 feet long and
threw it down in wornout old field.
The next week cut another sapling,
i just like the first l. the light Of the
/ moon, also puteit out in the field By
1.-The side Of the first AT the end Of
4 two years the sapling that I had cut
in the dark OF the moon was 80 rotten
SsEaal it W0uid not. .hoid up its own
weight, while the other was still
sound. cut another sapling in the
dark Of the moon and let il lie for two
4 years, at the en- Of which time, both
( I it aud the sapling that had cut in
the light of the moon were rotten.
The test was In every way absolutely
| fair, and the light OK the moon sapling
! lasted Just twice as long as the other.
1 sH"Gince then, the gentleman con-
tinucd, Il have made other tests, not
only for my own satisfaction bat for
the satisfaction. OF others. For in
stance I weigheda cord of wood cut
in the dark of the moon in August,
and found that it is 220 pounds heav-
Ter than a cord Of wood cut, in. the
light Of the moon during the same
I month. Then tried it again in De-
ESember, when the sap was all down,
l and found that the difference was
only about 10 pounds ), the wood that
.Twas cut in the dark of the moon still
being the. heavier.
It has been my observation that
! there is very little in the general
). | khooru fhok ronf orove~ obor1d ho