1879.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



133 



Whether or not Sir John Ilerschel ever 

 wrote or publislied the formula for foretelling 

 tlie weathei-, which appeared in an American 

 Almanac many years ago in his name, and 

 now referred to by "A Seeker after Truth," 

 I do not know; but there is reason to doubt 

 tliat that eminent astronomer had anything to 

 do with it. But whether he had or not, there 

 is one simple consideration which it seems to 

 me cannot help convincing every reflecting 

 person that no jiossible rule for foretelling the 

 weather, founded dm the moon's signs or 

 phases, or tlie times of its changing or fulling, 

 can be formulated, or at least none that is of 

 any practical value whatever. The con- 

 sideration I refer to is this : The alma- 

 nac we use in Pennsylvania answers also for 

 Ohio, Illinois and Nebraska. They liave the 

 same moon in those States that we have, and 

 the days and hours of its fulling and changing, 

 and passing from the ascending to the de- 

 scending signs are the same there as here. Yet 

 we all know it is constantly happening that 

 the weather is entirely different here on a given 

 day or week from wliat it is there, and that 

 extended general rains or snows scarcely ever 

 commence on the same day in the East as in 

 the West. 



"Seeker" says he has "frequently found 

 the predictions" based on the formula attrib- 

 uted to Herschel "to come true." No doubt 

 of it. Any rule or general prediction respci-t- 

 ing the weather, no matter how groundloss, 

 will ^^frequenth/ come true;" but unles? it 

 comes true more frequently than it fails, it 

 can be of no value whatever. Lot it be 

 remembered that all predictions founded on 

 the positions or aspects of the planets, must 

 in the nature of the case be applicable to a 

 whole continent or hemisphere. Such being 

 the case, "Seeker" might claim that Her- 

 scliel's, or anybody else's weather predictions, 

 not only "frequently" but always "come 

 true," for pretty certainly there is not a day 

 or an hour when there is not rainy weather 

 and clear weather and every variety of 

 weather, in one part or another of our conti- 

 nent. In the nature of tlie case, then, how 

 worthless must all such general predictions 

 be, no matter by how high authority they 

 may be attempted to lie bolstered up. How 

 much wiser are we for being told that it will 

 rain on a certain day, unless we can know 

 whether it will fall here, or in Kansas or 

 Oregon, or in the Atlantic or Pacific ocean? 

 — Amateur Farmer. 



KoR The Lancaster Fakmeb. 

 MOONSEED. 

 This interesting shrubby twiner belongs to 

 the natural order Menispermascece, or moon- 

 seed family, known as Menisperma Canadeiisis, 

 L. The cut shows the underground stem or 

 rizoma, which is of a yellowish color, hence, 

 it is also known as "Yellow Tharilla" in the 

 older books. The flowers and berries are also 

 shown, with a portion of the vine and leaves. 

 A section of the root, so called, shows the 

 central radiation, like in the ofTicinal Columbo, 

 called Menispervuim pahnatmn, and much 

 used in bitters. The berries have a crescent- 

 like seed, hence, called moonseed, and are 

 analogous to the Condus Indirus, what the 

 Germans call "Fisch Kierner." This plant 

 has no tendrils, but has a twining habit, 

 growing among rocks and under shrubbery, 

 found twining itself around the stems of trees 

 and .shrubs. The underground stem or 

 rizonia-likc root often extending from one 

 plant above ground to another not far 

 distant. This, when tasted is one of the 

 purest and most intense bitters of all our 

 plants. I called attention to its properties in 

 an article in the Mmmt Jni/ Herald, published 

 by my son Frank, in the first number of that 

 paper, under date of March 17, 18.")4. Very 

 little was known about its properties; the 

 Materia Medicato this day seems silent on its 

 true merits, and barely names it. My atten- 

 tion was called to experimenting with it, by 

 reading the following remark in Lindley's 

 Botany, who says, "Amslie in his Materia 

 Indica, speaking of several species of this 



genus, that every part is extremely bitter, 

 and is much used among tlie Malays in treat- 

 ing of intermittent fever, and is esteemed as 

 [lowerful as Peruvian Bark." Being then in 

 the drug Imsiuess, 1 had frequent call for the 

 sulphate of quinine and barks in the treat- 

 ment of chills. I had made a pint of tincture 

 of this root in proof .spirits of an intensely 

 strong but pleasant bitter. Jacob Matcer, of 

 Mount Joy, a poor laboring man, began to 

 run up quite a bill for the sulphate of quina, 

 which would stop it, but only to return ; I 

 then got him to try the menisperma tincture; 

 this effectually stojiped and prevented a return 

 in the use of two ounces of the tincture. I 

 might report a number of such cases, and of 

 the success of a physician in the cure of inter- 

 raittents by it in his own iiractice. Not being 

 a selfish man that I know of, I have pointed 

 out the root or plant to several. A few years 

 ago when on a visit to Mr. Frantz, residing 

 near Millersville, in going with him over his 

 beautiful farm inspecting the luxuriance of 

 his cereal crops, and the general thriving 

 condition of this model farm and farming, I 

 met with this plant growing on his premises, 

 and it seems a portion of it was ju.st in liquor 

 and tested by a neighbor. Mr. Frantz in- 

 formed me that this neighbor speaks of it in 



the highest terms; but not remembering his 

 name, Mr. Frantz is referred to if any are 

 curious about it. My object is simply to state 

 a valuable fact. This plant is very common 

 along the river opposite Marietta, and not 

 rare on this side, in certain localities. I found 

 some when in company with Mr. Myers Cur- 

 rier of this, and took up a few slender roots, 

 near the limekiln on the Conestoga, a few 

 miles from the city. In short it is not rare 

 and ought to be known. It is superior to the 

 officinal columbo root or any other bitter 

 known to the medical profession. This asser- 

 tion may seem strong, but I venture to pre- 

 dict a fair test will prove me to be correct. 



It cannot be well mistaken, although there 

 are species of smilax and the poison vine that 

 at first sight might appear similar. The 

 menisperma however, has the petiole of its 

 leaves set in a little from its edge, somewhat 

 peltate, and lias from .3 to 7 angular lobes, the 

 end or central rib or lobe terminated on the 

 leaf by a kind of a hook. They are deep 

 green on the uiiper surface and paler on the 

 under side. The yellow underground root- 

 stem (Rizoma) has a bright yellow color. No 

 milk exudes when a leaf is broken off like in 

 the poison vine. 



I would like to hear from Mr. Frantz or 

 those who have tested this root. 



J. Stauk?-er. 



Selections. 



THE PHYLLOXERA IN FRANCE. 



Its Marvelous Reproductive Powers — -The 

 Best Means of Checking its Ravages — Su- 

 perior Resisting Powers of American Vines 

 —Their Introduction into France Officially 

 Recommended. 



The following is a translation of the official 

 report (in the form of questions and answers) 

 recently made on the subject of the phylloxera 

 by Dr. Menudier, of the Superior Commission 

 appointed for that purjiose by the French 

 government. That jiortion of it which re- 

 fers to the superior resisting qualities of 

 American vines will be found of especial 

 interest. 



Whence conies the Phylloxera ? Even the old- 

 est documents Justify the assertion that the 

 phylloxera had never existed in Europe, wliile, 

 for a long time past, it has been found in the 

 United States, causing all European vines to 

 succumb to its attacks, after having been 

 planted three or four years. The first points 

 of attack in Europe have almost invariably 

 had American stocks near at hand. Every- 

 thing leads to the belief that the phylloxera 

 was imported from America on American 

 plants, and there are now scarely any, save 

 the importers, who will deny its American 

 origin. 



From what period does the phylloxcra''s inva- 

 sion of France date ? Its ravages began in 186.3, 

 at Pujaut, in the Department of Gard. Its 

 invasion probably dates from about 1860. 



At what period was the fact of its presence in 

 the Charente Tnferietire Department established? 

 In November, 1873, at Montils, in the Arron- 

 dissement of Saintes ; but the invasion must 

 have taken place between 18G8 and 1870, as 

 some vines had already been pulled up on ac- 

 count of the phylloxera's ravages. 



What is the phylloxera^s line of march? Gen- 

 erally from south to north. 



7s not the phylloxera^s presence due to a dis- 

 eased condition of the vine, superinduced by its 

 iceakened, condition, or the exhnustionof the soil? 

 No: for by placing this insect upon the roots 

 of very healthy and vigorous vines in a re- 

 gion previously unattackcd, all the external 

 symptoms of the disease, and finally the death 

 of the stock Itself, result. 



Is there not reason to hope that the phylloxera 

 will disappear ? Up to the present time, it is 

 impossible to discover a single fact permitting 

 a belief in a result so fortunate. 



Have there not been instances where vines in- 

 fected with the phylloxera have been left unculti- 

 vated, and have recovered by themselves? No; > 

 not a single vine really infected with the 

 phylloxera has, without treatment, been re- 

 stored to a complete state of health. 



What is the extent of the ravages in this {Cha- 

 arente-Inferieure) Department? Of 168,945 

 hectares planted in vines in 187.'), 135,400 were 

 overrun, or appeared to be. at the end of 1877, 

 and later inquiries prove that the inroads did 

 not end there. Several thousand hectares of 

 vines have since been pulled up. 



Is not the phylU>xera found, and may it not 

 subsist, upon other plants ? It ha.s been noticed 

 that plants the roots of which are mixed with 

 those of a vine, sometimes carry phylloxera, 

 but it has been established that it is upon the 

 vine only that the insect subsists. 



JTow is the phylloxera propagated ? In the 

 months of July, August, and September, it 

 takes wing, and, either of its own accord, or 

 carried by the wind, passes in swarms over a 

 distance of several kilometers, to attack some 

 fresh point. It penetrates the soil through 

 the fissures between tlie roots and the earth, 

 and thus step by step passes from one root to 

 another, abandoning each as it becomes ex- 

 hausted. Tools which have been used in 

 working vines infected with the phylloxera 

 are also means of its propagation; so, also, 

 are plants, whether with roots or without. 



