PROPHECY OF THE WEATHER. 269 
It is not pleasant to controvert such a venerable notion as that the moon af- 
fects the weather and that by studying its various ‘‘quarters” and conditions, 
we may be able to prophesy the weather months in advance. The moon, it 
must be remembered, is continually on the move and ever progressing with the 
earth and the while moving around it. It therefore must necessarily, and does 
in turn, shine on all parts of the earth. Wherever the sun shines the moon shines 
also. The sun being a powerful heating body, generates the conditions we term 
low barometer. The moon, being a mere reflector of light, has no such power 
—at least its heat power is infinitesimal, and therefore has no power to produce or 
affect the area of low barometer. But it is often claimed that it has power over 
the clouds to collect or disperse them, as the case may be. On the same night 
with the same moon, new, first quarter, half, full, last quarter or old, the same 
moon is shining over territories where there is all sorts of weather from hot to 
cold, and from clear, cloudless skies to extents of territory covered with the 
most dense snow or rain-producing clouds. In one place it may be clear, bright 
moonlight, in another not a ray of light to be seen even with a full moon. Then 
these places may be and are distributed over the earth at intervals of from 500 to 
1,000 miles, and sometimes more. This being the actual condition of things, it 
seems most absurd to claim or believe at this day that the moon at all affects our 
weather, or that it may be relied upon as a basis on which to found prophecies of 
‘the weather. When the new moon is upright so that its two ends or horns are 
level with each other, it is claimed that throughout this moon, we will have lit- 
tle or no rain, because the moon holds its water. Then when the crescent tips a 
little, one side being higher than the other, according to the universal idea, we will 
have plenty of rain during that moon. As though the rain which waters our 
earth, must be held in this little basin up in the sky. It must be remembered 
that the moon is 240,000 miles away from our earth, and at the best calculation 
our atmosphere is not more than forty-five miles high, and more than this that 
the clouds from whence comes our rain, are not over two or three miles high, 
and often much less, probably less even than a mile high. Our rain comes from 
the clouds that are temporarily suspended in the air generated through the heat 
force of the sun from the waters of the earth. 
The sun is ever forming these clouds. The power of the moon in this par- 
ticular is not worth considering even for a moment—might as well claim that 
the moon causes plants to grow, and is an agent for the generation and mainten- 
ance of life on this globe. As it rotates about the earth it happens that it goes 
through certain phases which western new moon, quarter, full, etc., and that at 
times the horns of the new moon will be level with each other and at other times 
not—all depending, as any one familiar with astronomy will know, on the rela- 
tive positions of the sun, earth and moon. The sun will always shine on that 
side of the moon that faces the sun. This is a most natural effect and needs no 
proof. Relatively to the earth the moon must change, for the simple reason that 
these three bodies are ever changing their relation to each other, and this readily 
