236 
PROGNOSTICATIONS OF THE WEATHER.—WISCONSIN. 
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
Forjthe American Agriculturist. 
PROGNOSTICATIONS OF THE WEATHER. 
Haclcettstown, September 1 Qth, 1843. 
Although the weather-table of Dr. Adam Clarke 
has been frequently published in past years, yet I 
had never given it any special attention, till its 
republication in your July number. To be “ weath- 
erwise for a few days in advance,” would be very 
agreeable indeed to the farmer. Human knowl¬ 
edge concerning the weather is but very limited 
at best—that is, practically so. Even the small 
degree of knowledge concerning atmospheric 
changes, possessed by all, seems to have remained 
without advancement since the first ages of the 
world; with no addition or improvement, or new 
discoveries to overthrow or confirm the prevailing 
opinions till the present day, when the labors of 
Espy and others have certainly contributed some¬ 
thing to this department of science. 
But even their theories and systems are as yet 
but theories only, which time and further obser¬ 
vation may substantiate or overturn. I have nev¬ 
er seen any statement of, nor am I acquainted 
with, the theory upon which Dr. Clarke’s table is 
based; but I have often noticed that the weather 
following the new or full moon was such as indi¬ 
cated, and was thereby led to place some confi¬ 
dence therein, which I must confess, is rather 
shaken by the observations made since public at¬ 
tention has again been called to it in the Agricul¬ 
turist. 
1. I commenced upon the 19th July, when the 
moon entered the third quarter, between 8 and 10 
A. M., where the table prophesies changeable 
weather; but it was as unchangeable as any could 
wish it, being very hot and dry, with a westerly 
wind, and no rain. “ But all signs fail in dry 
weather” we are told. 
2. New moon near midnight, clear weather ac¬ 
cording to the table, and so it was for three days, 
succeeded by a rainy one—and three others mostly 
cloudy, with a very unsteady wind. This was 
changeable. 
3. First quarter of the moon on the 2d of Au¬ 
gust, between 6 and 8 P. M., with a southeasterly 
wind, and rain to come, by the table. Got but 
very little the first day, none at all the second, and 
upon the fourth came the great fall of rain, occa¬ 
sioning the extraordinary freshet in New Jersey 
and about Philadelphia. Two of the last three 
days of this quarter were very changeable, and the 
other a very stormy day. 
4. Full moon near midnight, when clear weath¬ 
er is indicated. The first two days, considerable 
rain fell. During the rest of the quarter, had one 
dark and cloudy day, two partially so, with rain 
at night, and one clear day. 
5. Moon passed into the third quarter, near 2 
A. M. on the 18th August. The table says clear, 
but before 24 hours came, another fall of rain, fol¬ 
lowed by one clear day, and the rest of the week 
cloudy and stormy, except the last day. 
6. New moon near 10 A. M. upon the 25th. 
Changeable by the table. First three days very 
settled weather, with foggy mornings, and an at¬ 
mosphere extremely hot and oppressive. Then 
followed one day changeable, and the last three 
days were settled again. 
7. Just after midnight upon the 1st September, 
the moon entered her first quarter. Clear weath¬ 
er to be looked for by the table—first day stormy, 
second somewhat cloudy, third fair and hot, fourth 
still hotter—heavy showers passing round, fifth 
fair, sixth cloudy and threatening, seventh one of 
the stormiest days of the season. 
8. The moon became full upon the 8th about 
2 P. M., table saying changeable, as was the case 
for three days ; being mostly cloudy, cool, and the 
wind shifting east and west of north. The rest of 
this quarter was mostly settled and clear, except 
near the last, when there was quite a fall of rain 
from the east, with a most violent wind. There 
Mr. Editor, I have now followed the moon through 
her phases for two successive revolutions, and now 
I leave your readers to their own conclusions. But 
the observations ought to be continued for a year, 
in order to judge correctly, and perhaps I may con¬ 
tinue them if you wish it. 
Although we have here two such men as Dr. 
Herschell and Dr. Clarke standing up for lunar in¬ 
fluence upon the weather, yet there are others 
equally positive in their conclusions to the con¬ 
trary. I shall close with the two following quo¬ 
tations. The celebrated Arrago collected from 
various sources, all the well-authenticated facts in 
relation to this subject, and says, that “ there was 
no reason whatever to confirm the common notion, 
that changes of the weather attended changes of 
the moon, or that this luminary is in the least 
worthy of notice, in conducting the processes of 
agriculture.” 
That the influence of the moon upon water pro¬ 
duces the tides all ought to know; but if any 
think its influence upon the water in the atmos¬ 
phere equally as decided, let them be reminded of 
the opinion of the late Dr. Olbers, a distinguished 
astronomer of Germany, who, after careful obser¬ 
vations for fifty years, declares : “ I have demon¬ 
strated that the influence of the moon upon the 
weather is so small, that it is totally lost amid 
the great variety of other forces and causes which 
change the state of our atmosphere.” 
A. R. D. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
WISCONSIN. 
Buffalo , September 12 th, 1843. 
Wisconsin seems to be the great object of atten¬ 
tion for western emigrants at the present moment. 
Whether it is that apprehensions of an unhealthy 
climate, or the excessive indebtedness of the older 
western states, Michigan, Indiana, or Illinois, de¬ 
ters new emigrants from entering their territories, 
and many already there from remaining, certain it 
is, that while each of the foregoing states are in¬ 
creasing but moderately in comparison with for¬ 
mer years, Wisconsin is augmenting her popula¬ 
tion and agricultural improvement beyond that of 
any other portion of equal extent in the United 
States. The causes that have produced this gen- 
