OTHEE AIDS TO FAEMING 173 



One Eoman agriculture writer was so enthused 

 with the fallowing idea that he even advocated 

 that the lover should allow fallow seasons to in- 

 tervene in his courtship, an advice not likely to 

 be followed by the ardent loving ST^ain and las- 

 sie. 



Fallowing, according to the first method men- 

 tioned, is perhaps necessary in carrying on dry 

 farming in the semi-arid regions, but in regions of 

 ample rainfall we do not consider it profitable 

 unless combined with a cover or green manuring 

 crop. 



THE MOON'S INFLUENCE. 



A notion obtains that the moon has an influence 

 on land as well as water and so becomes an aid 

 to the business of farming. 



Most of us regard this as mere superstition and 

 say we do not plant our crops in the moon, but in 

 the ground when it has been properly prepared 

 and is in good condition for planting the seed. 

 Yet there are many men who have made an in- 

 tense study of the moon's influence on land, 

 plants, and other features of farming, and argue 

 if the moon influences the great oceans and causes 

 the ebb and flow of tides, why does it not affect the 

 land? 



The following account of the moon's supposed 

 influence given by Samuel Campbell is intensely 

 interesting, although the results named might be 

 accounted for by the influence of other agencies. 



"To get the best results : Sow or plant all grain (like wheat, 

 barley, oats, corn, timothy, clover, hemp, flax, and similar 

 things that go to top) in the light of the moon (from new 



