pPant/ a^ tfte pFaneC/. 167 



"it were good for those that have moist braines, and are great 

 drinkers, to take fume of Lignum, Aloes, Rose-Mary, Frankincense, 

 &c,, about the Full of the Moone." He also tells us, in his Natural 

 History, that "the influences of the Moon are four: the drawing 

 forth of heat, the inducing of putrefaction, the moisture, and the 

 exciting of the motions of spirits." 



In respecft to this last influence, he goes on to say, " You must 

 note that tlie growth of hedges, herbs, haire, &c., is caused from 

 the Moone, by exciting of the spirits as well as by increase of the 

 moisture. But for spirits in particular the great instance is 

 lunacies." This lunar influence which Bacon speaks of was, as 

 already pointed out, fully recognised in olden times, and a belief 

 was even current that the Moon specially watched over vegetation, 

 and that when she was propitious — that is, during her growth — 

 she produced medicinal herbs ; when she was not propitious — that 

 is to say, during her wane — she imbued herbs with poisons ; her 

 humidity being, perhaps, more injurious than otherwise. 



In old almanacks we find the supremacy of the Moon over 

 the plant kingdom fully admitted, albeit in a jargon which is rather 

 puzzling. Thus, in the ' Husbandman's Practice or Prognostication 

 for Ever,' the reader is advised " to set, sow seeds, graft, and 

 plant, the Moone being in Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorne, and all 

 kinds of Corne in Cancer, to graft in March, at the Moone's increase, 

 she being in Taurus or Capricorne." Again, in Mr. Wing's 

 Almanack for 1661, occurs the following passage : — " It is a com- 

 mon observation in astrology, and confirmed by experience, that 

 what Corn or tree soever are set or sown when the Sun or Moon 

 is eclipsed, and the infortunate planets predominate, seldom or 

 never come to good. And again he saith thus : — It is a common 

 and certain observation also, that if any corn, seed, or plant be 

 either set or sown within six hours either before or after the full 

 Moon in Summer, or before or after the new Moon in Winter, 

 having joined with the cosmical rising of Arcturus and Orion, the 

 Haedi and the Siculi, it is subject to blasting and canker." 



As an illustration of the predominance given to the Moon 

 over the other planets in matters pertaining to plant culture, it is 

 worth noticing that, although Culpeper, in his ' Herbal,' places the 

 Apple under Venus, yet the Devonshire farmers have from time 

 immemorial made it a rule to gather their Apples for storing at 

 the wane of the Moon; the reason being that, during the Moon's 

 increase, it is thought that the Apples are full, and will not there- 

 fore keep. It is said that if timber be felled when the Moon is on 

 the increase, it will decay; and that it should always be cut when 

 the Moon is on the wane. No reason can be assigned for this; 

 yet the belief is common in many countries, and what is still more 

 strange, professional woodcutters, whose occupation is to fell 

 timber, aver, as the aclual result of their observation, that the belief 

 is well founded. It was formerly interwoven in the Forest Code 



