PLANTING IN THE MOON. 63 



and forty- fourth of one candle at the same dis- 

 tance. It is difficult for any of us to realize that 

 there is so great a difference as this between moon- 

 light and sunlight; yet if we recollect that upon 

 going into a dark cellar, in which we can see at 

 first absolutely nothing, we soon become accustomed 

 to the darkness and are enabled to see more or less 

 distinctly, we will learn to have less confidence in 

 the impression of our unaided senses in matters of 

 this kind. Now what effect, if any, has this small 

 amount of light which comes from the moon on 

 the growth of vegetation ? 



M. De Parville, of France, " in order to test a 

 very popular belief in America," sowed various 

 kinds of seeds, both in the new and the full moon, 

 and found that most of the kinds, succeeded a 

 little better when sown at the period of the full 

 moon. These experiments were not regarded as 

 very conclusive, but whatever advantage may have 

 been gained by sowing at the given period was 

 explained by the fact that the plants came up at 

 a time when they had at the start the benefit 

 of the full moon's light. It has, at least, been 

 proved repeatedly that growing plants will " bend 

 toward " moonlight as well as toward sunlight, and 

 that blanched plants will acquire a greenish color 

 when exposed to the moon's rays. 



Prof. G. Giulj " caused vetches to germinate and 



