336 
Agricultural Meteorology, 
In the quarter coming north . . . .4*96 
„ „ full north declination . . 6'67 
„ „ going south 3" '72 
„ „ full south declination . . 3"56 
18-91 
In 355 days of observation in 1816, he found that rain fell as 
follows : — 
In the weeks about the new moon . . 6" 11 
„ „ first quarter . . 10' 101* 
„ „ full moon . . 9" 13) 
„ „ last quarter . . S'Slj 
30-85 
The Table in page 337 shows during the first nine months of 
this year : — 
1st. The periods when the moon was in perigee and apogee^ to 
which a wet and dry influence has been ascribed. 
2nd. Those of its north and south declination (L. Howard). 
3rd. Those of its second and fourth octants (Arago and Schubler). 
4th. Those at which it becomes new and full, according to the 
hypothesis adverted to above, and which is given in 
Johnson's ' Farmer's Almanac,' p. 54. 
It will be seen, however, that none of these ingenious specu- 
lations can be of any practical service to the agriculturist as 
indications of the weather he is to expect, since on the hypo- 
thesis of their all having an effect, the preponderance singly due 
to any one of these phases is so frequently counteracted by the 
opposition of some of the others that the results must be alto- 
gether negative. 
For instance, the rainy tendency of a full north declination 
maybe neutralized by the opposite influence attributed to the 
last octant. This occurred on the 1st of May, as will appear from 
the table and average which follow. On that occasion it was dry. 
Again, on the 29th of June and 27th of July, with the same 
position, it was wet. 
Out of 20 periods of perigee the hypothesis was right 1 1 times 
and wrong 9 times. 
Out of 20 periods of north and south declination, it was right 
10 times and wrong 10 times. 
Out of 18 periods of second and fourth octants, it was right 
10 times, wrong 7 times, 1 uncertain. 
These are best illustrated for the facility of comparison by 
the accompanying diagram. 
• This embraces the second, or, according to Schubler, wet octant, 
t This compiises the dry octant. 
