1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



135 



For the New England Farmer. 



LUNAR INFLTJENCE-No. 1. 



Friend Brown : — I have fur a long time been 

 desirous to see the influence of the moon upon ter- 

 restrial objects, written out and explained for the 

 benefit of those who are ignorant of it. Failing, 

 however, to sec an article upon that subject, and 

 thinking instruction in a branch of knowledge so 

 intimately connected with vegetation, and with 

 many of the manipulations of husbandry, as this 

 is said to be, should be circulated as widely as 

 possible amongst farmers, I have undertaken to 

 point out some of the more noted effects of our sa- 

 tellite, based upon the "observation" of certain 

 vert/ obscrvinff individuals. 



I will first notice its effects upon vegeta- 

 tion, and upon some kinds of farm labor. In 

 spring it is asserted that sap flows most freely at 

 the time of full moon, and sugar-makers are duly 

 notified to prepare for a, r/ood run of sap ^'■on (he 

 full.''' Peas must be sowed " on the full moon," 

 though some people think it best to sow them on 

 the earth. Onion and most other kinds of garden 

 seeds must be sown on the increase of the moon, to 

 insure a plentiful crop, and all kinds of roots and 

 herbs must be gathered before the full, if you 

 would preserve their medical properties, and keep 

 them from shrinking by drying. Apples must be 

 picked on the decrease of the moon, otherwise 

 bruised places will rot. Some say wood and tim- 

 ber must be cut at the time of full moon in mid- 

 summer to render it durable ; others say that fuel 

 cut in mid-winter is best, at any rate the moon must 

 be consulted. A neighbor informs me that he 

 once knew a man who had a particular time in the 

 moon in which to build rail fence ! 



[t is said a potential influence is also exerted 

 upon the condition of animals intended for meat. 

 If you would have your pork " spend well," kill 

 your hogs upon the increase of the moon, other- 

 wise it will shrink in cooking, and the fot will all 

 try out. Admitting this, would it not be well 

 for the Legislature of each State to enact a law 

 requiring all people who raise pork for market, to 

 kill their hogs during the first and second quarters 

 of the moon ? 



Again, if you have bushes or thistles to cut, it 

 must be done at the time of full moon, and you 

 are certain to destroy them. 



All these, and many more whims of a similar 

 nature, arc unworthy of belief in this enlight- 

 ened age. yet there are those who pertinaciously 

 adhere to the tradition of their ancestors, — who 

 believe in signs, jvonders and ivitches, only ])ecausc 

 they have no inclination to learn a few of the 

 simplest laws of Nature. 



Now, ye observing sages, answer, if ye can, a 

 few plain questions. In what manner is this lu- 

 nar influence exerted on plants? If they are 

 more easily killed by cutting at the time of full 

 moon, — which I doubt, — why is it? Docs the 

 full moon cause the sap to flow more abundantly 

 in spring than it docs at the change or quarter ? 

 If 80 give us the reason. *Ve all know it some- 

 times lails, hence moonshine is not a certain cause. 

 Which has the greater influence on meat, the 

 moon or the food upon which the animal is fat- 

 tened ? 



In my next I shall notice tlie lunar inflneuce 

 upon the weather, referring to the popular belief, 



enumerating some signs, and producing statistics 

 to disprove their validity. L. Varney. 



Bloornfield, C.W., 1855. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



The following letter is from a little boy only 

 ten years of age, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and 

 we give it just as he wrote it, with the exception 

 of adding the heading, and a single letter in one 

 of the words. This boy, and the sister he speaks 

 of, are under the right training, to become useful 

 and distinguished persons. We wish there were 

 more like them. 



AMERICAN CRAR APPLE TREE. 



Mr. Editor : — Some time since I saw in the 

 A'. E. Farmer an engraving of the American crab 

 apple, with a description. We have a great ma- 

 ny in our woods ; my father says they do not 

 grow in New England. 



It is a small but handsome shaped tree, and 

 would look pretty in a door-yard. The flowers 

 are beautiful, large, pink, and so sweet they per- 

 fume the air. The fruit is larger than the Sibe- 

 rian crab. It does not get ripe till mid-winter, 

 then it is a greenish yellow. They can be grafted 

 on a common apple seedling. 



If any one would like one of these pretty trees, 

 I willsond them some grafts, if they will write 

 me a plain direction ; and if they enclose a stamp 

 I can prepay the postage for them. The scions 

 ought to be scut soon. 



My sister, who is younger than I, wants to 

 write you how to make nice sauce of the apples, 

 as she has helped me prepare them. But she 

 had better wait till you get the apples. 



My sister and I have a nursery and garden, and 

 we are trying to raise new kinds of fruits. I 

 learned to bud last summer, and will learn to 

 graft this spring. I like to read anything in the 

 Farmer I can understand. 



Waukesha, Wis. IIenry W. Hanford. 



now TO RAISE CARROTS. 



I wi^i to inquire about raising carrots. 1 have 

 a lot of sandy loam, which I intend to have plant- 

 ed to carrots, turnips, &c., the coming season. I 

 purpose to put on the lot, (about an acre,) 100 

 bushels leached ashes, 4 cords rich manure, if I 

 can get it ; but if not, I think of trying guano 

 with the ashes. I would like to get your views 

 respecting it, — how much guano should I put on, 

 and how shall I apply it to the soil ? 1 wish you 

 would give directions as to the management of 

 said crop throughout, as fully as you can. 



Scituate, Jan., 1855. Jeremiah Potter. 



Remarks. — Drain thoroughly, if water ever 

 stands upon the land, even if it is a "sandy loam." 

 Manure the surface before plowing as liberally as 

 you can with such barn manure as you have, and 

 plow it under eight or ten inches ; then add fine 

 composted manure, or not having that, 300 lbs. 

 of guano per acre, pulverized and sown broadcast, 

 and cultivate, harrow and rake until the surface 

 is fine and pretty smooth. Sow with a seed sow- 

 er, having a boy hitched on forward to assist, as 



