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.
T0rbrille 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 80 years of
age worked in the field at whatever
was to be done. He was great be-
lever in the moon, and what be 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 a hundred years old, aud | have
only reached that age to discover what
a fool I have been all my life. All
this time, I have believed that the
moon exercised most important in
fuence on, every crop, and during the
past 20 years / have demonstrated be-
'yond possible doubt that its inAu-
ence on the crop is simply nothing. .
So the old gentleman, who has had the
benefit of this experience, is thorough
ly convinced that there is absolutely
nothing in the moon theory.
Ordinarily this might be taken to
settle the whole question; but still |
was not satisfied. I had heard Of an
other intelligent farmer who had the
reputation of being not only thorough
" info. med as to the influence of the
moon; but who could give me some
facts and figures. l had a talk with
him and:he got me all mixed up again.
II 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, |
cannot give you reasons; but l can
give you something that is better-I
mean fsct5.
when 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. / was going to
build fence, and be told me to cut
my timber in the light.of the moon.
It was convenient to carry cut his ad-
vice and I did as he said; but as I
wanted to satisfy myself a little fur
ther, I experimental some. | went
out in the dark Of The moon, cut
p;as aapl;ng about 20 feet long ard
threw it down in wornout old field.
The next week [ cut another sapling,
j~st like the first in the light Of the
moon, also put it out in the field by
the side eof 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 it's own
weight, while She other was still
sound. ] 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 con-
tinued, II have made other tests, not
only for my own satisfaction but for
the satisfaction Of others. For in
stance I weighed cord Of wood cut
in the dark of the moon in August,
and found that it is 220 pounds heav
ier than a cord Of wood cut in the
light of the moon during the same
month. Then I tried it again in De-
cember, when the sap was all down,
and I found that the difference was
only about 10 pounds the wood that
was cut in the dark Of the moon still
being ne heavier.
';It has been my observation that
there is very little in the general
theory that root crops should be
planted in the dark of the moon and
other crops in the light of the moon.
It's fact that sweet potatoes, for
instance, will make more vines if
planted in the light of the moon: but
then the potatoes will also be about as
good. 1 invariably plant corn in the
dark of the moon. aud | find tina. it
will weigh just two pounds to the
bushel more than if planted in the