Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-08-31
RULED BY THE MOON
ODD BELIEFS BY ouTcH FARMERS
OF NORTH CAROLINA.
rney XIII Hogs, Plant and Build Ae-
cordfnE 20 the Tilt OF the Moon.
How TO Keep n Dog and what one
Must Do 40 Make n Good Tree nor.

| ~ AsoAe ~ cood Tree Dog.
The Dutch farmers OF Rowan county
are among North Cardinals most pros
Porous and most interesting peonIe
They live well. save money and i'm
prove in every way. Thrift is a vir-
tue with them. They are great belIev-
ers In signs and old sayings. They dc
things by the moon.
Before building a worm fence the
Dutch always watch the moon. saws
the Charlotte On. c. Observer. 1t must
De right or the fence will sink into
the ground. The bottom rail must be
pun down when the little moon is turn
ed up, so that IT will not sink into the
ground To prove that this is the right
sort OF doctrine let n person make an
experiment with two bricks. Put
down one while the little moon Is I'D
and the other while 1t is down. and II
viii be noticed that the one laid when
the moon was down will 60 into the
ground and that the other will remain
as left
III one would cover his house we'll he
must make the boards when the little
moon is turned down. That is easy.
The boards viii keep their shane il
rived then. But. on the other hand
II made while the little moon is turn
ed up the boards will cup I'D at the
ends when exposed TO the weather.
nave seen many n board turn I'D at
the end. but never knew what did IL
till now.
The moon must be right when a
Dutchman kills his hogs. II the hogs
are killed when the little moon is on
the decrease the meat will shrink. but
If killed when the little moon is on
the Increase it will swell.
To have good turnips one must plant
on lSraels day-that is. in August. II
corn Is planted when the little moon
points up the ears will grow too near
the top. The ear gets more u7urish-
ment near the ground.
No work is done on Ascension dav
1t Is a day Of rest and pleasure II the
first visitor 10 a home that dav i a
man all the eggs that are setting will
hatch ROSTERS; IL woman. pulIets
will prevail. Therefore a man is an un-
welcome guest early in the morning on
Ascension day.
II Is not right 10 carry out the ashes
between Christmas and New Years
day. That brings bad luck.
II farmer puts out manure OF fer
ulizer when the little moon points I'D
1t Will stay. but il the little moon
points down IL viii leach out
these signs and sayings II they could
be collected. Many OF them are met in
other than Dutch communities
Lived there country boy fin Neck
lenburg who did not know how To
treat his old hound for various short
comings: II when you get a new dog
he will not stay with YOU cut the hair
tip of his tail and bury il under the
front steps, and then he viii abide
with you forever. Nobody can take
him from you. II you would have the
dog love YOU better than he could any
body else wear bit Of meat in the
heel of your shoe a day and then give
ii 10 the dog TO eat. IL is strange doc
trine, but true. for ! have tried il.
Some folks find il better TO measure a
dog with stick and bury ii under the
steps than TO nick the tail. Either way
will do
1t SO happens now and then that q
fine dog refuses 10 bark at the tree.
That sort Of hunting is unsatisfactory.
for most OF the hunters time Is wasted
in hunting for the silent dog. That de-
feet, however. is easily got rid of. The
hunter goes 10 the woods and listens
for the sQueaking noise that is made
by the rubbing together OF two trees.
gathers the bark from the point OF
friction, makes a soup of il and gives
II TO the dog. II anything Will help
him after he is grown that will. But
II the puppy is taken in time there Will
be no silent dog NJ the tree As soon
as the puppy is large enough 10 stand
the blow the hunter should burst n
green sOurd over his head That will
make tree dogS-barking dogs. But
cannot refrain from giving word OF
warning here. hit one Of my puppies
TOO hand once and broke his head in
stead of the gourd.
In certain sections of the south there
Is saying that II you viii rub teeth
ing baby's gums with warm rabbit
brains the teeth will come through the
skin without difficulty IL was my
good fortune once 10 see the trick tried.
One day l was travelling in the lower
part OF Mecklenburg county when I
saw two small boys running. CARRYING
something. The youngsters were red
in the face and hot. I could see that
they were bent on purpose. The larger
OF the two a red topped boy. was in
the lead. He held in his hand some
thing that he seemed to be Jealous Of
and was trying 10 project.
What have you there. boy l shout
ed.
Rabbit brains-hot rabbit brains"
was the quick reply.
What are you going 10 do with
them
Yves going TO rub sisters gums. so
she kin cut teeth"
l followed the boys and watched the
operation. 1t was all right. and have
learned since that teething was made
easier by the act The boys had chased
that rabbit and killed him far aneld
But all that trouble could have been
avoided had the child been supplied
with bag OF moleS' feet II the moth
er will take the feet OF ground mole.
sew them up in sack AMI tie them
around the bahy'S neck all will be well.
l do not know why this is 50. hut il is.
The baby must chew the rag
when Tea Was New.
i sent for I cup Of tea. Chinese
drink. of which l had never drunk"