Jan. i, 1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
influence of the moon upon the weather seems to be 
but slight, and after careful investigation hardly to 
be distinguished : unless it be indeed that the low heat 
radiated from the moon may have some influence in 
the absorption of vapour, giving the clouds a tendency 
to disappear at the time of full moon." 
My old Professor who had kept weather records 
for forty years more or less, said that he could not 
find any evidence of any connection between the 
moon and the weather. I have kept records for a 
much less, time and I certainly think I have seen a 
connection, and that showers are more frequent near 
the new and full moon, especially the former. It 
seems but reasonable to suppose that what causes 
flood-tides in the ocean of water, does the same in 
the ocean of air, and thus affects the weather. If 
we care for unscientific testimony it is abundant. I 
shall mention two points that I was interested in. 
A few years ago I went on board of a native brig 
at the close of a stormy day, and the captain assured 
me that when the moon rose it would clear away 
the clouds, and sure enough it was a bright beautiful 
night. This agrees with the "authority" quoted 
above. Again I knew an intelligent honest farmer, 
who every spring for some years spent some time 
in peeling oak Dark, and he assured me that it 
would only peel " in the new of the moon." I 
suppose every one has heard the thousand and one 
beliefs in the influence of the moon, usually charac- 
terized as superstition. Yet some of them go back 
to the roots of language, as indicated by the words 
lunatic and the corresponding Greek seleniazo. That 
the cutting of nails and hair, the planting of peas 
and sowing of grain, the killing of pork, etc., etc. 
must be in the right time of the moon is the 
belief of many in civilized countries. Scientists 
laugh but the astrology and alchemy of one genera- 
tion lay the foundation of the astronomy and chemistry 
of another, and we have been told that it behoves 
science to be "modest" and not too positive, when 
she does not "know." — Tours, &c, 
JAFFNA COLLEGE. 
P.S. — Perhaps Tennyson will not be objected to as an 
authority on the formation of the leaf beforehand, 
as well as the influence of the moon : 
" The folded leaf is woo'd from out the bud 
AVith winds upon the branch, and there 
Grows green and broad, and takes no care, 
Sun-steeped at noon, and in the moon 
Nightly dew-fed." 
HOW TO TEST WATER. 
Nuwara Eliya, Dec. 18. 
Dear Sir, — Can you or either of your numerous 
readers oblige me with a simple test for the quality 
and parity of drinking water? — Yours faithfully, 
W. K. T. 
[We are indebted to Mr. M. Cochran for the follow 
ing: — "1st — Water having any smell, or any marked 
taste, to be rejected. 2. — Water containing suspended 
matter, not separable by coarse filtration, should be 
looked upon with suspicion. 3. — If a tnmbler-full of 
water is turned distinctly yellow or brown by the 
addition of 40 or 50 drops of Nessler's Solution, the 
water should be rejected, 4. — A tumbler-full of water 
should be distinctly tinged with three or four drops of 
a dilute solution of Potassium Permanganate — strength 
of solution about '4 grams (not grains), per litre. 
Bad waters will decolorise many drops of this solu- 
tion at once, especially in presence of a little Dilute 
Sulphuric Acid." — Ed. T.A.} 
THE MOON AND HER INFLUENCE. 
Dear Sir, — Allow me to thank "Jaffna College" for 
the first instalment of his "grit," and this, I hope, "K. 
T. B." appreciates so much as I do myself, and as 
"Ignoramus" necessarily must also; for, without 
doubt, "Jaffna College" has complied with that 
inquisitive correspondent's request with great readi- 
ness and courtesy. Now, it is because I am also 
very inquisitive that I desire to make this acknow- 
ledgment. As already explained. I ain as good as 
a thousand miles from any decent collection of books 
of reference, and it is a decided gain to obtain all 
we want, in this direction, from .Jaffna, by merely 
pulling the ropes of inquiry. The addition of his "own" 
opinions, which "Jaffna College" appends to his 
valuable extracts, in no way lessens our obligation, 
as, although we cannot dispute his authorities but 
must just take them for what they are worth, we 
cannot heighten the interest of any discussion by 
criticising his own views, or by at least asking him 
for more proof if we do not happen to have modesty 
enough to feel in perfect agreement with him. 
I notice that most of his " authorities " hail 
from America, but mostly are none the worss 
for that, as I know some of the best astro- 
nomical work is dona there. But Europe is not 
yet quite played out ; and— at least— whatever may 
become of us in the near future the past is rich in 
leaders and teachers of all subjects that can possibly 
arise to be turned into "grit " ; and I therefore may ex- 
press a hope that " Jaffna Colleges' " reference library 
is not exclusively American ; but, of conrs«, in 
"Chamber's Encyclopedia" we have evidence that such 
is not the case. 
The evidence so far is dead against Our old friend 
the moon ; but as in past times she came in for a 
share of worship — though in a lesser degree than the 
sun— it would be odd if much of this old homage did 
not survive to our own time, and still be very hard to 
kill. The "fallibility of human judgment when not 
disciplined by scientific training" is responsible for 
this. Of course it is interesting to know what 
"honest farmers," and "Captains of native brigs" 
think of the moon's influence, — just as Arago was 
interested and wise in finding out the opinions 
of "gardeners and agriculturists," — but that's not 
science and the opinions of such people scienti- 
fically are as worthless on this subject as they 
would be on any other, equally abstruse. But farm- 
ers and skippers are not singular in this belief, 
I will engage to say that ninety-nine out of 
every hundred men we meet of our own class every 
day; are equally ready to swear by the moon—" the 
inconstant moon !" A scientific bent of mind that 
has sternly disciplined itself by scientific training, 
is still rare even at this end of the nineteenth cen* 
tury. If numbers, or a particular class, went for any- 
thing, science would stand abashed and still have to 
hide her head as of old; and as such instances 
could be quoted by the thousand to one, it is scarcely 
worth while to trouble about them. Let us turn to some- 
thing in "Jaffna College's" argument more profitable. 
"Jaffna College" says :— "It seems but reasonable to 
suppose that what causes flood tides in the ocean 
of water does the same in the ocean of air, and 
thus affects the weather." They ask "Jaffna Col- 
lege" to reconsider this assertion, 
_ 1. Does the moon directly cause measurable flood 
tides, or are these made perceptible by coasts and 
currents ? 
2. Was ever thi3 entry made in a ship's log; 
" the moon's flood tide passed the ship at such an 
hour-," when in mid ocean ! And ought not such an. 
entry to occur in every ship's log twice a day ? 
3. If not, why not ? 
4. And ;what does "Jaffna College" mean by "wea- 
ther," supposing the ocean of air to be affected In 
like manner ? I fear all this will turn the brain of 
K.T.B., but then, you see, it is "grit," and must b* 
ground exceeding small to be intelligible to 
ONE INTERESTED. 
" TEA FLUSH " — SUNSHINE AND 
MOONSHINE, 
Talawakele, St. Andrew's Dag. 
Dear Sir, — I got badly sat on, by your " Ono 
Interested " correspondent, but after another corre- 
spondent of yours so neatly classed him as second 
brother to Ignoramus, it was so mnch to the point 
I offered no farther comment. All the great guns, 
Wanderer, and Planting M. L C. and many others, had 
their say and came to the very nice conclusion, that 
sunshine was (he missing element, causing the shorj 
