1 68 pPaau Isore, tecgef^^/, onS "ISLjric/. 



of France, and, unless expunged by recent alterations, is so still. 

 The same opinion obtains in the German forests, and is said to 

 be held m those of Brazil and Yucatan. The theory given to 

 account for this supposed fact is, that as the Moon grows, the sap 

 rises, and the wood is therefore less dense than when the Moon 

 is waning, because at that time the sap declines. The belief in the 

 Moon's influence as regards timber extends to vegetables, and was 

 at one time universal in England, although, at the present day, the 

 theory is less generally entertained in our country than abroad, 

 where they act upon the maxim that root crops should be planted 

 when the Moon is decreasing, and plants such as Beans, Peas, 

 and others, which bear the crops on their branches, between new 

 and full Moon. Throughout Germany, the rule is that Rye should 

 be sown as the Moon waxes; but Barley, Wheat, and Peas, when 

 it wanes. 



The wax and wane of the belief in lunar influence on plant- 

 life among our own countrymen may be readily traced by reference 

 to old books on husbandry and gardening. 



In ' The Boke of Husbandry,' by Mayster Fitzherbarde, 

 published in 1523, we read with respect: to the sowing of Peas, that 

 " moste generally to begyn sone after Candelmasse is good season, 

 so that they be sowen ere the begynnynge of Marche, or sone 

 upon. And specially let them be sowen in the olde of the Mone. 

 For the opinion of old husbandes is, that they shoulde be better 

 codde, and sooner be rype." 



Tusser, in his ' Five Hundred Points of Husbandry,' pub- 

 lished in 1562, says, in his quaint verse — 



" Sowe Peason and Beans in the wane of the Moone, 

 Who soweth them sooner, he soweth too soone ; 

 That they with the planet may rest and rise, 



And flourish with bearing, most plentiful wise." 



Commenting on that " Point," the ed,itor of an edition of 

 Tusser's poem printed in 1744, says: "It must be granted the 

 Moon is an excellent clock, and if not the cause of many sur- 

 prising accidents, gives a just indication of them, whereof this 

 Pease and Beans may be one instance ; for Pease and Beans 

 sown during the increase do run more to hawm or straw, and 

 during the declension more to cod, according to the common 

 consent of countrymen." Again, as regards grafting, old Tusser 

 writes : — 



" In March is good grafiiing, the skilful do know, 

 So long as the wind in the East do not blow. 

 From Moone being changed, til past be the prime, 

 For graffing and cropping is very good time." 



The editor remarks : " The Prime is the first three days after 

 the New Moon, in which time, or at farthest during the first 

 quarter, our author confines his graffing, probably because the 



