1S77.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



51 



And even the doctrine of the fathers was 

 capable of a two-fold construction, and there- 

 fore had two schools of believers amont; its 

 adherents ; so that evini among tlieni, tliere 

 ■was by no means a unity upon ils fundamental 

 principles. Five and lifty years a^jo— and 

 jicrliaps nnieh lonj;er — it was said, " If the 

 Ground liog conies out from his winter lair 

 on the niRht of the second of February, or 

 ' ('andUinas,' and sees his shadow rellccted 

 by the light of the moon, he innnediately re- 

 turns to it, niul does not come forth again for 

 six weeks ;" whicli is taken as a certain indi- 

 cation that we shall have a six weeks con- 

 tinuation of winter weather ; Imt whether 

 seven or eight weeks was a litenil verilication 

 of the iirophecy, never was clearly established. 



Per Coiilnt — '"If he comes out, as liefore 

 related, and decs nal see his shadow, then he 

 will remain out, and from that time forward 

 the weather will moderate, and we shall iiave 

 an early and a pleasant Sjiring. Six weeks of 

 niil<l weather succeeding the I'd of February, 

 and then changing to "cold as (Greenland," 

 would not have been regarded as a litrrul 

 veritieatinn of the prophecy, live and lifty 

 years ago, by any means. That is a modern 

 perversion— very re('ent, and very local. Hut, 

 among the fathers there was a "hitch," out 

 of which grew the two schools we have ad- 

 verted to. It was not clear what was tw be 

 regarded as " the night of the second of Feb- 

 ruary," because, a whole day was sandwiched 

 betw'een the two halves of that night. When 

 the clock struck V2 at midnight, on the 1st of 

 February, the next moment thereafter the 2d 

 of February began. At o'clock 58 minutes 

 A. ^I., the sun rose, and as the moon sets 

 about 7 o'clock A. M., at that period, there- 

 fore the Ground hog would have six hours 

 and lifty-eight minutes in which to come out 

 and s(C, or mil «(, his shadow, according to 

 pending meteorological cimtingeneies. The 

 moon rises on that day about 10 o'clock F. II. 

 and the sun sets about 5 o'clock, so that the 

 animal woidd have two hours in which to 

 mak(^ his ap|iearance, and see or not see his 

 shadow. 



^."ow, it will be perceived that thediflerence 

 between these schools was as between Omand 

 nearly scrot. The liberal constructionists 

 contended that he came out between 12 and 7 

 A. M.,as the most likely, because at that time 

 he would be less liable to casual interruption 

 of any kind ; but the strict constructionists 

 contended that he came out between 10 and 

 12 F. M. mainly for the reason that the 

 Ground hog never was remarkable as an early 

 riser. 



That was the ^talm; of the question fifty, 

 sixty, or perhaps a hundred years ago, if not 

 longer, although there were then ali'cady in- 

 novations upon the ancient doctrine, especially 

 in local districts. 15ut in later years the old 

 doctrinal landmarks became almo.st obliterat- 

 ed, and now it is almost universally stated 

 thus: " If the Gromid hog comes forth from 

 his winter (piurlers on 'Candlemas' (Feb. 

 2nd), and sees his shadow, he will innnedia- 

 tely return to them, and will not come forth 

 again for six weeks ;" and this is an indica- 

 tion that w'e shall have a continuan<-e of cold 

 winter weather for that length of time. Lax 

 constructionists give him from sunrise to high 

 noon, but the rigid constructionists contend 

 that he immediately returns, and that the 

 cold weather continues six weeks, and by no 

 means any longer. 



Per Coiitru. — "If he comes forth on theday 

 afore-named and docf: not. see his shadow, he 

 remains abroad, and we shall have an early 

 and genial Sjiring." 



The 2nd of I'ebruary, 187(i — in the morning 

 — was cold, bright and sunny, although before 

 night it became cloudy. Of course, it was said, 

 ''the Ground hog saw bis shadow," and re- 

 turned to his winter (piarters to remain there 

 six weeks longer. Although the weather 

 which followed February 2nd, 1870, was not 

 intensely cold, yet the seven or eiiilit weeks 

 which followed, were not such, we think, as 

 would invite forth the Ground hog ; therefore, 

 to the literal constructionist, a prophecy that 



is more than verified, is not verilied at all. 

 The morning of the 2nd of February, 1S77| 

 was cloudy, and hence ''Old Monax" could 

 not see his shadow, but the weather which 

 has since followed has not been such as can 

 be fairly construed into a verilication of his 

 prophecy. Even if six weeks of inilil weather 

 iiad followed the 2ncl of Februaiy, and then a 

 period of cold, foul and dreary weather had 

 succeeded it, it would not have been a fullill- 

 ment of the (iround hog proi;nostication, be- 

 cause that prediction means the advent of a 

 mild and early Spring ; and that the month of 

 March will, in /(trt, as well as in name, be a 

 Spring month, whereas it has been much more 

 winterish than the month of Februaiy, the 

 Iiresent year. 



Hut, viewing the whole subject from a prac- 

 tical standpoint, there seems to be a primal 

 qualification in tlu^ whole theory which en- 

 velope's it in doubt. It is .said — "7/" the 

 ground hog," iS:c., &c., which fairly implies — 

 "maybe he iciH, and maybe he mou'i " most 

 likely he UKinH. 



Dr. (iodinan, one of Pennsylvania's dis- 

 tinguished naturalists, who kept these ani- 

 mals as pets, on several occasions, and who 

 in a very interesting maimer tells "what he 

 knew about (Jround liogs," says : "At 

 the coininencement of cold weather, the 

 "marmont" (ground hog) goes into his win- 

 ter quarters; liaving blocked up the door from 

 within, he there remains until the return of 

 the warm season revives him again to reiunv 

 his accustomed mode of life; " and we be- 

 lieve he would remain there until the first of 

 May, or longer, if the weather remained cold 

 so long ; and also that he might come out on 

 the first of .January, or earlier, if the temper- 

 ature was high enough to revive him to renew 

 his accustomed mode of lil'e" — candlemas or 

 no candlemas. His accustomed mode of life 

 is to excavate a burrow of from six to ten feet 

 or mon^ in the ground, in such a situation as 

 will leave the entrance im-liniiig downward in 

 order to prevent the ingress of water during 

 a rain, and making an ample nest for himself, 

 his mate, and his family of from four to six 

 or more youngsters, periodically. 



Futhcrmore, his habit is to feed voraciously 

 on vegetation, and especially on young clover, 

 and it. is said that a score of them can cut a 

 swartli through a field as clean as a patent 

 mower, and devour it as they go forward, 

 lie is not distinguished as an early riser, and 

 l>refers midday as the period of his foraging 

 operations; for so cunning' is he. that he 

 knows that the farmers have retired from the 

 fields, and are then taking their midday meals 

 and rest. On such occasions — like the 

 ''Prairie dogs" — one or more will keep watch, 

 while the others are feeding, and at the 

 slightest distiibance he gives the alarm .squeak, 

 and they all make a precipitate retreat to 

 their holes. They also, sometimes, come 

 forth to feed on bright moonlight nights, and 

 under varying circumstances, at other times 

 also. Jy'ow, if by some diversion in the reg- 

 ular revolution of the planets it should trans- 

 l)ire that winter should be displaced by sum- 

 mer, can any one suppose that the (iround hog 

 would lie dormant until candlemas before he 

 ventured forth from his winter (piarters in 

 .Search of food ? Not he. The demands of 

 his stomach would become too pressing to long 

 resist them. Or, if suniiner, or any portion 

 of it, was displaced l)y Arctic cold, that he 

 would not hie him to his winter den, and be- 

 come semi-torpid V Heat is the medium 

 through which the living power of the uni- 

 ve.se is exercised, and its vital energies are , 

 manifested. Without heat, everything would 

 be cold, and chill, and liarren, and inert, 

 and so would be "old ?»0)iax" for ever and 

 ever. 



If the sunshine or clouds of candlemas 

 have any meteorological significance at all, it 

 must be Zodiacal, and has, in our opinion, no 

 relation whatever to the habits of the (rround 

 hog. 1870 was in contradiction to the ancient 

 traditions, and so was 1S77, in this locality 

 at least. If the tradition is now niisstatedand 

 misinterprated, and night is the time when he 



o.stensil)ly comes forth and sees, or does not 

 see his shadow, it involves the question with 

 additional difficiiltiea, because of the barriers 

 it would interpose to personal ob.servalions on 

 the subject ; and perhaps it is the existence of 

 these difficulties, which has kept the (lucs- 

 tion so long an o|)en one. Under any cir- 

 cumstances, however, a belief or disbelief of 

 the doctrine can wr)rk no material harm at 

 the present day, for the light fif intelligence is 

 becoming so widely and so thoroughly (liflused 

 that no one of ordinary intelligence would 

 base the chances of success or failure of an 

 enterprise upon the 8ui)p08ed habits of the 

 Ground hog, and if there are yet any such, we 

 would resiiect fully recommend them seriously 

 to pray for '^Light, rtvire light slilU'' — Ed. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



The Guava. 



Prnf. S. S. liutlirem: Seeing an article in the 

 February numberof Tli?; Fakmkk in relation 

 to the G'l/HVK, but as you give no credit from 

 where you copied it, some readers might sup- 

 |iose this tree ct)uld be grown as a fruit tree 

 in our climate— as some have already made 

 enquiries, where the fever tree, Ewalyptus 

 (Ih'ljulosa could be i)rocnred, with the inten- 

 tion of idanting it as a tVnest tree. Now 

 neither the (iuava or Knealt/jitus will live in a 

 climate where there is the least degree of frost. 

 Kven in our most Southern States, both these 

 trees occasionally are injured, or kille<l, by a 

 more then ordinary cold spell. In Galifornia 

 th(!}' are ))lanting largely of the Eucalyptus. 

 They are both very interesting when grown in 

 (ireen-honses, where the trees are dwarfed in 

 pot culture, out of the reach of frost. Mr. 

 Ileusel has the Ewaluptiis growing finely in 

 his (Jreeu-house. This tree is said to be of 

 great value as a medicinal plant. By making a 

 tea of the leaves will cure many of the "ills 

 that llesh is heir to." l?y its vigorous growth 

 it digs up the swanqis, thus destroying the 

 malaria, and making the climate more healthy. 



The Guava — Psidium Catleijanimi — I have 

 fruited for many years; it is a ideivsant sweet 

 and acid fruit, and some people are very fond 

 of the fruit, size of a large cherrj'. Another 

 species of the Guava, called "sour sop," from 

 Florida, I have not yet fruited. This is 

 said to be a larger fruit. 



Both these trees grown in pots, so as to 

 dwarf them; could be grown in an ordinary 

 sitting room, where no frost enters, and are 

 very ornamental and interesting. J. 

 B. G., Crilmnhia. March 2S, 1877. 



By referring to the article in our February 

 number again, our friend will find that the 

 text is from the New Yeirk 'JViltmie, and the 

 context from RincVs Vegetable Kingdom, page 

 :!()7. W^e inserted the article in order to draw 

 out something practical in regard to its out- 

 door cultivation in this and more southern 

 latitudes, as we found it going the rounds of 

 both Agricultural and secular papers. We 

 thank our friend for his .suggestions. 



Editor of The L.vncaster F.mjmer. — 

 Dear Sir : You asked me some days ago why 

 I don't attend the meetings of the Agricultu- 

 ral and JJortlrultural S'leiettj anymore. Well, 

 I was a member at one time, and pretty regu- 

 larly attended the meetings, but was com- 

 pelled to discontinue attending them. The 

 reason for iloing so was not owing tfi a want 

 of interest in tliem, or in the cause of agricul- 

 ture, but because of my inability to lose so 

 much time. The fact is, I attend regularly 

 the Wednesday morning market, and when 

 the market is over, I transact what business 

 1 have in the city, and, if at all, I then could 

 also attend a meeting of a society; but I can- 

 not afford to leave my work and go to town 

 exprcs.sly for that purpose on Monday. No 

 man who himself cultivates his farm, cares 

 about losing double time, and incurring dou- 

 lile expenses to attend a town meeting, espe- 

 <ially when he participates in no fancy specu- 

 lations, by means of whicli he expe<'ts tocom- 

 liensate hiin.S(df for loss of time. I entertain 

 the greatest respect for all who claim to be 



