Evening star., 1903-07-18

. OF VEGETATION AND CLOUDS.
of the spots where my observations have
located the growing vegeta ton. This dark
ening of the spots Is no doubt owing to the
more luxuriant growth OF the vegetation
at this period, which Is true just after the
lunar midsummer.
The presence of an atmosphere by far
not so dense as that surrounding the earth.
but still quite ample to explode the theory
that there is none there. is shown by the
faint twilight. The rarity OF this lunar at
mosphere would give somewhat the same
temperature effects that are observed in
the very high attitudes of the earth, as In
the Andes mountains, for instance. Trav-
elers In these attitudes have given deScrip-
tions Of how intense that heat is in the
sunshine. while a remarkable lowering Of
the temperature Is found just across the
line of the shadow. This condition Of rare
atmosphere on the moon would give in the
lunar summer intense heat that our
summer times do not know. and in the
shadow of the night there would be a tenn
perature lower than anything experienced
on this planet.
Heat and Cold.
''The extreme cold Of the lunar winter
has been one OF the arguments used to
combat the theory that there is vegeta BILE
AAAo III AuAui iaHCe anu consequently dIlIHidA
life on the moon. 1t is not so many years
since the scientists told the world that no
ure could h.. found T., ~, on, hoIon, = o.r
tain specified depth, and the argument
showing why this was true was. for time,
entirely satisfactory to the scientists and
bo,,.arar ora -, - eois a ne.s a.ei eIS, |,
oS c,rtn,,s T tas.ia tln,. no p.op 'Ia VI 81
dead line which science had drawn, fishes
and other sea animals were brought to the
baIia,.ad 49, no,n, " -, 49, ". -.
IN snita ~ tb,s boIiaf ' a ~ ,,I ~. - @ M
xuhjrb s,nnnrt,d a. thna .,n , % 90 80 i -
taa us -, ~ VP 30" aiiiiiidi'
shnr+nnod au ~ 49,. au tte'ei d hie Was ,s
faI.a ,ha e o " 'e''''i VI 'ii''
..1Shara "a oh,,nao,. o,,, - ., e.
that tbe rnost iutamsa "a de;. oi me aas'
co ril,, da.tro,, Hannt,hIo1 o,s ~ .ho,'.,,
theoriats sa " thev ,nust ~. ;, es. .,, . ~ tS q
lunar winter l have myself subjected the
Soid eon,I 70 Tn dooraa. ~ bo,ar. ~ GO "a "a
then planted them. and they sprouted and
grew thriftily. By means of liquified air
VesetapIe seeds nave been subjected tC
inng ~. ~, rIan., 80 80 anu .h ,n, ,oi
growth and life unimpaired by5 the test Of
cold. 1t hardly seems necessary to point
out the reasonable theory that the plant
and animal life Of the moon rs such as has
adapted itself to the different conditions
existing there. and the ability of organic
life to adapt itself to varied environments
is amply proven to be equal to almost any
surrounding.
1T does not seem to agree with the ordi-
nary rules OF common sense that there
should be an immense planet like the moon
with the conditions of warmth, moisture.
atmosphere. Vegetations and regular sea
sons. but no animal life. 1t would not be
improbable that there are beings somewhat
similar to ourselves on that planet. l do
not doubt that the time Is not far off when
Will be added to very materially by the use
OF improved instruments and through the
abandonment of old theories and prejudices
which have been more effectual than the
defects in their lenses in preventing astron-
omers from seeing the things as they are.
The aid Of my telescope was very great in
the matter of the original discovery oil
eger os otbers Po.s anu 'ne SUBSEQUENT o''
rb. Nsu ra1as,o,a
.,,r, . ~
,, ~ .0 ~ VIC
. ,,. ~ o.
49,, ,,,,o,,.,o ~ ,.ero,.a,. - 49, .a,o
sco,a o. u,ortbv n, not,oa Tbt. novor
,,otha,od NO tor ,na,,r .,,,,. taIosoono.
,,.ra ord ,,ho+ tho ,.raa,t -, +h,.. oor,d
do and what nv own seyen-inch one did.
Scientific men are as a rule conserva-
tive to the point of stagnation. Anything
that upsets a pet theory and necessitates
the rewriting OF the scientific formulas is
distressing and dstasteful to them To this
is ascribed the refusal Of some of the
astronomers to look upon my telescope in
any other light than a freak production.
The fact that the old and long accepted
Ideas Of the telescope makers was rejected
and a new principle employed was enough
to frighten the ordinary astronomer. In
my instrument instead Of the one lens as
Is usually employed 1 use several small
lenses. placed side by side. One of the un-
doubted advantages Of this telescope is the
clearer definition that Is given as com
pared with the single lens. 1t is we'll known
that large lenses do not give proportionate
Increase of power and definition as they in
crease IN size with the method used by
me can combine any number OF lenses OF
small size ana get a steady increase or
power III proportion 10 the numper used
Prof. Lowe Convinced.
one celeprateo astronomer VINO was IN
duced by a mutual friend 10 examine this
although he was prejudiced
against II before hand was Prof Lowe of
n,.so ~, -, 80
asaue"a' al - oiiiS requifeu one iooh
through II ana short explanation to dis
arm him Of all his preconceved ideas, and
he was unstinted In his prsiseiand enthu-
s,,s,,o In bis dsc,.rotion +hot ~. rt 20
,aIasco,a b,iIdin. ,,as 80 suS, s~a,''t,oi;.os @