The Washington times., 1919-06-16
By Garrett P. Serviss.

please give US your ideas upon
the much mooted topic Of the effect
Of the moons changes on Yegeta-
ton. In common parlance,. should
vegetables be planted according 10
the phases Of the moon ?-Mrs. G.. L
c., Little Rock, Ark"
0LD as this question is and
often as the statement has
been made that science dis
countenances belief in lunar'infiue-
ence over vegetation. I have never
seen a clear presentation. Of the
underlying facts or OF the reason
ing on which any discussion Of the
subject must rest Let US try to
put the facts, as far as they are
known, briefly before our minds.
Plants grow through the absorp-
ton. and assimilation Of mineral
and chemical substances derived
from the air and the soil. Light
has ap Indispensable influence
upon the absorption OF plant food
from the air. Electricity also plays
some part, not yet thoroughly I'M
derstoOd. in the growth Of plants.
When a seed is buried in the
ground il begins to develop and
grow, taking ,nourritUre from the
soil. After the plant gets above
ground IL ahsoTbs additional ,nour-
ishment through its leaves from
the air. Light can directly affect
plant growth. only after the plant
has issued from the ground, but
electricity and other forms OF en-
erEy. such as heat, may affect it
underground.
Now. the sun is the great source
Of hight and, Of, heat for the earth,
and the sun also influences the
electric state OF the earth It Is
plain, then, that the sun must, to
say the least, powerfully affect
plant growth
We have only to recall the effect
Of the seasons, whose changes de-
pend upon the varying amount Of
solar heat and light received upon
certain parts OF the earth, in order
to see at a glance how effective
the control Of the sun over veEe-
tAtion Is A wave Of vegetable life
sweeps alternately north and
south, advancing and retreatinE In
perfect step with the movement Of
the sun in the sky. II is as IL the
sun sowed the seeds OF this life
from its beams wherever those
beams strike the earth at. a high
enough angle to produce locally the
required amount Of heat, and of
other forms. OF energy capable Of
stimulating plant growth.
II is certain, then, that il makes
a great and, indeed, a decisive
difference at what time or at what
phase OF the solar seasons .vege-
tables are planted. Is the same
\
gard to the phases Of the moon or
what for this purpose we may call
the lunar seasons?
Now, the moon as well as the
sun sends light to the earth. II Is,
however, only sunlight reflected,
and, except in intensity, appears to
possess the same qualities as di-
rect sunlight. The amount Of this
reflected sunlight that the moon fur
nishes depends upon the lunar phase,
1. e, upon the relative area Of the
moons Illuminated surface as. seen
from the earth. 1t is, Of course.
greatest at full moon, when It
amounts to about ISIS, O0Oth-o OF the
suns light. The amount of heat
sent to the earth from the moon at
a corresponding phase has been es-
timated at about 1885, Doth of the
suns heat
In both cases II would seem that
the amount Is too small to have any
noticeable Influence upon vegetable
life. A striking indication. of the
inenectiveuess in this respect Of the
moons radiation as compared with
the suns may be foupd in the fact
that in midwinter, when the sun has
SO far Withdrawn its influence that
vegetation perishes or slumbsrs In a
state Of Suspended animation, the
full moon Is in a position to send