Evening journal., 1914-09-16
HERE'S A JOLT FOR
OLD TIME FARMERS
Moon Nor Planets Have Ef-
feet on Weather Condition
Government Expert Says
OUTLINES FACTOR OF
CLIMATIC CHANGES
Bv Nc United Press.


WASHINGTON, Sept 16.--The old
fashioned farmer who governs his
planting by the movements of the
moon will receive jolt from a bull
letin just issued by the Department
of Agriculture declaring that reither
the moon nor the planets have the
slightest effect on weather conditions
and therefore cannot have any effect |
on planting.
PLANT your corn in the full OF the |
moon"-a rule regarded as little !
short of sacred in many rural COM
munities is entirely disproven, ac-
cording to the departments bulletin. |
"All weather changes depend on
temperature differences" the bulletin
says. "The temperature, as we know,
constitutes of itself a most important
weather factor Another and equally
important weather factor is rainfall.
But to obtain rain it Is necessary first
to evaporate water from the surface
of the earth. and this as everyone
knows, requires heat
Still another important weather
factor is the direction and force of
the wind. and this. too, requires heat,
for the winds will not blow unless
the temperature Is different at one
place from what it is at another any
more than the air will draw up
chimney where there is no fire in ii.
"Since, then, the heating Of the
earth and its atmosphere TO different
! temperature is the real cause Of the
winds and of all weather changes, It
follows that the moon and the planets
can affect the weather only so far
as they supply heat.
"The amount of heat sent to the
earth by all the planets and by the
moon is insignificant in comparison
to the amount that comes from the
sun. Hence we could not expect the
moon or the planets to appreciably
affect the weather since they do not
supply heat, the one thing that causes
all our weather changes"
AS a result Of the sheep and wool
conference held recently in Washing
ton growers and manufacturers are
urging a Federal bounty system as a
means to exterminate predatory ami
mails on Western ranges, the enact
ment OF state laws TO control dogs in
farm states, the Standardization of
wool by the Department of Agricul-
ture. the establishment Of government
sheep breeding farms TO determine
the breeds best adapted to various
conditions, and the creation Of col
leges for the promotion OF more sci
entific methods I'm wool production.
In the report addressed to the Sec
retary of Agriculture by a committed
appointed for the purpose, II is point
! ed out that the sheep industry of th'
, United States is now valued at ap
I prOximately 230,000,000. but that un
favorable conditions are causing tn,
supply of sheep to decrease rapidly.
The conference was called by Sec
, retary Houston in order to consider
the problems presented by this sit
uatiOn.
The Agriculture Departments land
scape gardener has just issued &
! statement advising flower growers tC
/ prune their climbing roses now fOl
the next season. Shoots should b,
/, pruned, he says, so as to throw the
growth Of the plant into the new
wood that bore no flowers this yea
for this is the part of the plant tina
will bear next year.
When a trellis is lOw-sx or eigh
. feet hight is a good plan he says
to cut off the shoots that have bOrI
flowers this year clear TO the ground
|, Most people. in following this advice
NAV thinx thpv are ruininr thoi
bushes to cut them back so severely
=. but the young shoots that have start
!, ed about the roots will surprise then
't by a springing up with wonderful ra
. pidity.