Vol . 1.— IVo. 



—M l [ 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



45 



VULGAR EREORS..NO. 3. 



ClodpoU -Prylbee, man, in what part of the moon 

 dostihou plant ? 



Hobaon— Nay, goodman Delver, in no part, I even 

 plants on this old beldame cand That same moon is 

 too fickle and inconstant for me, and I care not whether 

 sbe quarters or fulls, were it not she saves me come fartb 

 Togs cost of rush-light. Old Play. 



Tbe moon is a mas.-" of matter, containing 

 about 1-70 the quantity of the earth, revolving 

 around it with a never ending variation of its 

 orbit, at the moan distance of 240,000 miles, 

 and if its motions were destroyed, by which 

 it is kept in its place, it wouid descend to the 

 earth in about five days. It is now generally 

 admitted, that she has an atino6phcro, which 

 must be strictly gaseous, and without vapour, 

 from the uninterrapted serenity of its whole 

 disk, and from the fact that it lias no water on 

 its surface, and is probably an extinct world, 

 without any organic beings or substances in- 

 habiting it, for which it is illy calculated, from 

 its great number of volcanos both active and 

 quiet. 



We will briefly sum up the reasons why we 

 think that the influence of the moon on the 

 animal or vegetable system is nothing, or so 

 jmall and inertly exerted, as to be unapprecia- 

 ble or cognizable by our senses. In the firsl 

 place, the moon moves from west to east, a- 

 round the earth, once in 27 days, but by the 

 daily motion of the earth, apparently performs 

 a revolution from east to west in about twen- 

 ty-five hours, and although she appears larger 

 at one time than another, yet it is only because 

 (ho son happens to shine on a larger portion of 

 its surface ; and the same quantity of matter 

 the same globe is still there, and exerting the 

 same influence, if any is exerted, at one time 

 as another; now as the light which is reflect- 

 ed to us from its surface, is not presumed to 

 effect our globe, it does not matter whether 

 there i more or less, whether she is at the full 

 or the quarter— it cannot affect us. But if any 

 influence is exerted, it must be by the laws of 

 attraction, and that only ; that power acts on 

 all matter, from the invisible atom, to the great 

 globe itself and diminishes inversely, as the 

 squares of their dstances. Now we would ask 

 how this globe of matter, whose action must 

 be constant and uniform, and which passes o- 

 ver us about the same time every day, at such 

 an immense distance. and so small in bulk when 

 compared to this globe, should exercise an in- 

 fluence on tbe ascent or descent of the sup in 

 tbe vegetable, or upon the blood or juices of 

 the animal system, both of which tre propel 

 led by causes complete and independent of 

 themselves, and which act and would cuntiuuo 

 to do so, with the same vigor, if there was no 

 such planet in existence. 



It seems to bo admitted that the moon has 

 something to do with the tides, but how, is as 

 yet not satisfactorily explained, and allowing 

 :hat is the principal agent in the flux and reflux 

 of the waters of the ocean, yet with all this 

 power over the fluid part of tbe globe, it does 

 not perceptibly effect the waters of the rivers, 

 qr our great western lal.es; therefore that the 

 power of attraction, of a mass of matter, at 240- ( 

 000 milos distance, that cannot sufficiently effect 

 the waters of a great iolandsea.to render it per-f 

 ceptible, and yet should exert such an influ 

 ence on the animal and vegetable economy, as 

 to render it important whether we should plan 



form any other operation with our domestic 

 animals, at particular periods, with relation to 

 the moon's age or phases, looks to us as the 

 most preposterous and ill-founded prejudice 

 that ever prevailed uiuong sensible men in an 

 enlightened age. 



Its effects on our bodies, are not appreciable 

 to', our senses, in the most painful disease, or 

 the most unsound part, whether situated in the 

 mucus membrane, in the cellular substance, or 

 even in the most delicate organs. A sufferer 

 by disease of any kind, will not be able to say 

 by his feelings, whether the moon changes, or 

 hether she is abovo or below the horison ; 

 therefore, it is fair to conclude that its effects 

 on the animal system are not very palpable 



The effeet of its attraction on any particular 

 portion of the surfaco, cannot Be of long con- 

 tinuance, as the moon every day passes below 

 the horison, when it can hardly be pretended 

 that she could exert an influence of any sort, 

 through the whole mass of this globe, and e- 

 ven if it were possible, it would be exactly 

 contrary to its direction and effect. 



As we said before, it cannot be of any con- 

 sequence whether the sun happens to shine on 

 I the whole, or one half, or one quarter of the 

 I moon, for we presume it will not be pretend, 

 ed that the reflected light has any thing to do 

 with this wonderful agency, for although the 

 light of the moon is said to effect certain 

 kinds of sore eyes, and to cause cucumbers to 

 grow, to whom it seems to feel a great partial- 

 ity, (and justly, as there is a kind family cold- 

 ness and nature in common with both,) yei 

 we believe the strongest believers in " signs 

 and times," do not refer it to this cause. 



It seems even doubtful, whether the weath- 

 er is at all controlled by the powers of the 

 moon, and altnough elaborate and complete 

 tables are laid down for foretelling the weath 

 er, and every child is familar with the Indian's 

 powder horn prediction, yot after long and re- 

 peated observations, we find them to fail as 

 often as to succeed. 



A German philosopher, of high repute, af- 

 ter having spent a long life in astronomical & 

 meteorological observations, gave it as his o- 

 pinion, that the moon had no manner of influ- 

 ence upon the weather, or up m the health or 

 growth of man, beast, or vegetable; and that 

 the believers and propagators of this heathen- 

 ish astrology, were moon-struck fanatics and 

 lunatics in very deed. 



Madeira ; and I have frequently laid out from 

 30 to 50 dolls, in a year, since. In about eight 

 or nine years after I first planted the vines, I 

 had most of the foreign vines grubbed up, find 

 ing there teas no dependence on them. I never 

 made but one quarter cask of wine from the 

 foreign grapes, and two or throe five gallon 

 kegs, in different years, and that was mad 

 from Miller's Burgundy, before they were 

 quite ripe, as they began to crack and burst, 

 and I was obliged to take that chance, or lose 

 them- 1 began to keep an account of my sell- 

 ing wine, in the year 1824, of which the fol- 

 lowing is a statement : 



1824 I sold wine and cuttings to the amount, 

 of $909,55 



1825 - . . 947,41 



1826 - - - 928,30 



1827 . - . 1070,68 



1828 - - - 1162,07" 

 The above produce was from about two and 



an half acres of land, and having seen the qual- 

 ity we must say it is altogether inferior to 

 most of the land in this section of country. — 

 We consider the above the best[comment that 

 can be made upon the subject of vineyards, 

 wine-making, and the kind of grapes to be 

 preferred. Coming as it does, from a man of 

 the highest respectability, one who is not en- 

 gaged in any speculations, to prejudice his 

 judgment, we consider it entitled to the most 

 profound respect. And now lot us ask tho 

 farmers of Monroe county, what course of 

 cropping has produced an equal profit from any 

 of their finest lands, in an equal number of 

 years. 



at 



there not being more than sixty or sev- 

 or sow, or harvest our crops, or kill, or per-' enty of tho SchuiMlcIc Muscadell. and Bland' 



VINES. 



The following is an extract from a letter 

 from our much esteemed friend, Major John 

 Adlum, of Georgetown, D. C. whom we 

 consider as one of the most experienced wine 

 makers in the United States. "I planted my 

 first vines in the year 1797, and in 1799 I made 

 tho firs: wine, which Mr. Jefferson pronoun- 

 ced equal to the Burgundy of Chambertin. — 

 (See his letter, published in my memoir, page 

 149.) I have oontinued making wine every 

 year since, for when I had not cultivated grapes 

 I made it of the wild grapes from the woods. 

 The abovo wine was made when I resided 

 near Havre de Grace, Maryland. In my first 

 essay, in 1797, I paid upwards of ISO dol 

 iars, for outtings, and mostly foreign grapes 



TO OUR READERS. 



We have some misgivings on the subjcot of 

 our ability to amuse and instruct our readers 

 and patrons, during this season of general ster- 

 ility of all the subjects and interests which 

 our prescribed routine embraoes. To interest 

 and draw the mind to definite and abstract 

 points, amoog the multifarious subjects that a- 

 gitate, and engage an inquiring and seeking- 

 people, as the generality of our whole popu- 

 lation may bo called, it seems necessary to 

 "hold the mirror up to nature" at the inci- 

 dent angles to tho subjects, which should be 

 present and in proper season. Long and stale 

 saws out of proper time, are like a tale twice 

 told. To talk of watermelons in January, or 

 riddle cakes in deg days, would be as prepos- 

 terous and unappropriate, as the sending a car- 

 go of curling-tongs to Africa, or Lehigh coal to 

 Lackawana;' and although we have a most 

 cheering and abundant prospect of able aDd 

 intelligent correspondents, yet we ask the 

 kind forbearance of our readers, on our own 

 part, till the genial season of bud and leaf an<J 

 flower arrives ; as we propose to omit all spe- 

 al details of the habits, diseases and cultiva- 

 tion of the specific kinds of the vegetable 

 kingdom, until the periodic time of their revi- 

 vification, and "breathing time" arrives, when 

 we propose to give our attention to every 

 article of general cultivation, within the scope 

 and compass of our ability, as they shall res- 

 pectively come into season ; and we think 

 that course most likely to strike tho attention 

 of general readers, and forward the great ant! 

 important objects, on the success of which 

 we have staked our interest, feelings and sym- 

 pathies. In the mean time, we shall endeavor m 



