350 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aug. 



It is true that in the above table there are sev- 

 eral instances in which a severe frost has occur- 

 red at full moon, and it is equally as true that as 

 many severe frosts have occurred at new moon as 

 at full moon, and that frosts seem to occur at ran- 

 dom, as far as the influence of the full moon is 

 concerned. There is no record in regard to the 

 frosts of September, 1842, owing to the absence 

 of Mr. Weatherhead during that month, and the 

 same occurs in the first half of September, 1847, 

 but otherwise the record is complete and reliable, 

 and these breaks cannot materially influence the 

 general result. 



I have met with but little in my scientific read- 

 ings that bears directly upon the subject of the 

 moon's influence upon the heat of the earth. The 

 older philosophers, after very careful experiments 

 with powerful lenses, came to the conclusion that 

 the moonlight was incapable of producing heat. 

 Later researches, however, seem to prove the con- 

 trary, concerning which Humboldt observes : 



"That the moonlight is capable of producing 

 heat, is a discovery which belongs, like so many 

 others_ of my celebrated friend Melloni, to the 

 most important and surprising of our century. 

 After many fruitless attempts from those of La 

 Hire to the sagacious Forbes, Melloni was fortu- 

 nate enough to observe, by means of a lens of 

 three feet in diameter, which was destined for the 

 meteorological station on Vesuvius, the most 

 satisfactory indications of an elevation of temper- 

 ature during the different changes of the moon. 

 Mosotti-Lavagna and Belli, professors of the Uni- 

 versities of Pisa and Pavia, were witnesses of 

 these experiments, Avhich gave results diff'ering in 

 proportion to the age and altitude of the moon. 

 It had not at that time, (summer, 1848,) been de- 

 termined what the elevation of temperature pro- 

 duced by Melloni's thermoscope expressed in 

 fractional parts of the centigrade thermometer, 

 amounted to."* 



He further observes in a note: "It had al- 

 ways appeared sufficiently remarkable to me, that, 

 from the earliest times, when heat was determined 

 only by the ^ense of feeling, the moon had first 

 excited the idea that light and heat might be sep- 

 arated. Among the Indians the moon was called, 

 in Sanscript, the King of the Stars of cold, also, 

 the cold-radiaiing, while the sun was called a cre- 

 ator of heat. * * * * Among the Greeks it was 

 complained that 'the sunlight reflected from the 

 moon should lose all heat, so that only feeble re- 

 mains of it were ti-ansmitted by her.' " 



It is to be regretted that this worthily world- 

 renowned scientist could not have given us more 

 definite information respecting the extent of the 

 moon's heating powers, and the period of her age 

 and altitude at Avhich they were the strongest. It 

 must seem evident, however, from analogy, that 

 the amount of heat must be in direct proportion 

 to the quantity of light and the altitude of the 

 moon, and consequently greatest at full moon and 

 high moon. Doubtless the calorific influence of 

 the moon is exceedingly slight, but whether slight 

 or other\yise, must, taking this vieAv of the case, 

 conflict directly with the prevalent opinion that 

 it is coldest at full moon. Without further spec- 

 ulating, I leave the subject, perhaps where I 

 took it up, although I fancy I have shown facts 



* Cosmos, vol. 4, p. 143. 



enough to prove the fallacy of this popular no- 

 tion. And there are many other equally well re- 

 ceived notions in regard to certain almost "infal- 

 lible" weather prognostics that I do not hesitate 

 to consider equally fallacious. 



Springfield, Mass., 1860. j. a. a. 



Remarks. — The above communication was re- 

 ceived many weeks since, but has been delayed in 

 consequence of the crowded state of our columns. 

 Now that the farmers have left the pen for the 

 plow, until their crops are perfected, we can make 

 room for it without driving out articles that were 

 written for, and applicable to, a pai'ticular season. 

 We hope this explanation will be acceptable to 

 our respected and valued correspondent. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



GOOD PROPERTIES OF THE MILKWEED. 



I noticed in the last Farmer a description of the 

 common milkweed ; but not :i word was said about its 

 ever being used for food, either for man or beast. I 

 was told more -than forty years ago, that it was excel- 

 lent for "greens;" and being urged by a sister to lay 

 aside my fastidiousness and just taste of it, I found at 

 once that it was indeed excellent — but little inferior to 

 gi'cen peas, wliich it as nearly resembled as anything I 

 could compare it to. 



Now, mothers, don't be afraid of it because you find 

 numerous little insects ci-ecping over its beautiful 

 leaves, or snugly ensconced among its tiny blossoms ; 

 they doubtless know its good qualities, or you would 

 not find tlicm there. Gather them while the stalk is 

 brittle, say from four to six inches higli, break out the 

 little bud, and boil the stalk and leaves until soft and 

 tender. This, with a slice of good fat beef or pork, and 

 other "fixius," is good cnougli for Aunt IIhoda. 



North Camibridge, Vt., 1860. 



GRUBS AND CABBAGES. 



I set out my cabbage plants a week ago, placing a 

 teaspoonfnl of salt at the bottom of the hole, because 

 tliose wliieh I set in this manner last year did well, and 

 were not molested by the grubs, but now aljout half of 

 the plants have been eaten off. I have applied ashes, 

 but without success. How shall I save the plants ? 

 I find the grub just beneath the surfixcc of the earth, 

 looking like a small worm, but under the microscope 

 exhibiting legs, which he uses about as awkwardly a.s 

 the elephant does his. 



A few tomato plants have dropped off like the cab- 

 bages, but I find no grub at the roots. What is the 

 cause ? 



DEAD HENS. 



During the past year I have found some thirty hens 

 dead at diflerent times and in ditfercnt places about 

 the premises. The comb is always very black. Can 

 you inform me what the disease is, and of its cure ? 



ilopldnton, June 11, 1860. o. A. A. 



Remarks. — The remedy for the cabbages is to use 

 the finger about the plant, find the grub and kill him. 

 We know of no other. He will not stay his progress 

 for salt or snuff, but when the scissoi-s take his head off 

 he will confess himself a "goner." We cannot account 

 for the death of your fowls. 



LEGHORN HENS. 



I saw in the Farmer, three or four weeks ago, a 

 statement by Mr. L. R. Hewins, of Foxboro', recom- 

 mending the Leghorn fowl as superior to all others for 

 their laying qualities, &c. I took a trip to his house a 

 few days ago to ascertain moi-e aI:)out it, and was so 

 well pleased with the looks of the fowls and the infor- 

 mation that I obtained there, that I bought a doaon of 



