ASTRONOMY AND COMEWHERE midway between 
THE GARDEN ^ the grotesque superstition of 
the vulgar and the derisive skepti¬ 
cism of the ultra-scientific, it begins to seem probable that the 
truth about many things may lie. And so it is here that it may 
be well for us, as gardeners, to linger awhile, in contemplation of 
the orb of night. For the folk-lore of all the earth is rich in 
lunar prognostications; and where folk-lore gives credit, wise 
men have come to doubt the wisdom of doubting, even though 
they are unable to offer scientific explanations. 
Of the moon’s influence on the waters of the earth, there is 
no longer any doubt in any one’s mind. That it influences the 
atmosphere and the gases enveloping our planet similarly with 
the waters, must be perfectly obvious; and that it exerts a mighty 
physical pull upon the solid portions as well as upon the fluidic 
subterranean matter, cannot rationally be denied. Indeed, sub¬ 
terranean tides are accepted by many scientists, if not by science 
generally. Why should not all this great influence and this tre¬ 
mendously powerful pull- — powerful even though it is infini¬ 
tesimal ; it is calculated to be one sixteen-millionth of a given 
weight—affect vegetation, and indeed all life upon the globe? 
This is not to say, beyond scientific question of course, that it 
does—but the question is at least admissible; and the affirmative 
answer seems, to say the least, the more probable. 
When white men first came to this continent, they found the 
red men here firmly fixed in the belief of the moon’s great in¬ 
fluence upon crops; and no one has ever questioned the American 
aborigine’s acumen in matters pertaining to the great out¬ 
doors generally. And every race of men, everywhere on the 
globe, cherish these Moon beliefs, and are governed accordingly, 
except as science has shamed and frightened them out of being. 
And now even science, in the persons of some of its most eminent 
followers, is willing to admit the possibility of “a hidden, myster¬ 
ious bond of a magnetic nature” between the moon and the 
earth. “Nothing proves or contradicts such a hypothesis, and 
it is possible that study in this direction might lead to interest¬ 
ing results.” 
Indeed it is “quite possible,” and perhaps much more; there¬ 
fore are we not, quite possibly, neglecting rich opportunities by 
failing to make such study? It would seem that we might be. 
So, in this belief, we shall offer our readers, during the coming 
year, encouragement and facility for such study, in the new 
“Gardener’s Calendar” feature, inaugurated in-this number of the 
magazine. Here will be found, month by mo'nth, and day by 
day, the data necessary for planting according to the phases of 
the moon, and for such other garden operations as are supposed 
to be under the influence of Diana. 
This information is made with the hope that many will be suf¬ 
ficiently interested to keep a record of their gardening operations 
so timed, and to make reports of these at intervals during the 
summer, or a complete report at the end of the season, to the 
editor. In this way we may arrive at valuable conclusions and 
add something to the sum of useful human knowledge—always 
a consummation devoutly to be wished. To this end the direc¬ 
tions of the “Calendar” will not be simply “bumcombe” reprints, 
but will be compiled, so far as may be possible, from sources as 
trustworthy and scientific as exist; and among these, folklore 
shall have the high place which alone is consistent with its 
importance. 
As with all experimental work, comparative plantings are of 
course necessary to definite conclusions. Probably the fairest 
test is a pair of rows always, planted side by side, rather than in 
two portions of one row. This insures the same soil, moisture 
and light conditions for those things planted during the favorable, 
and the indifferent or unfavorable, periods; the two ends of a 
row very often differ materially in one or two or even all 
three of these. 
THE \ LL things, as well as men, have their 
BUILDING price,” says the practical man. 
GAME And he is right philosophically, 
but not practically speaking. The 
price of many things is dear experience, plodding searches after 
knowledge, caustic regrets—expensive mediums of exchange, it 
will be admitted, but these are not dollars. 
One of the things that money does not buy is a home. You 
may buy some one else’s home, but you must make your own 
whether the shell is there, or you hire trained assistants for every 
detail of the process. 
Most people undertake the labor gladly. They go into training, 
so to speak, and fairly live on a diet of building books, magazines 
and plans. It may be a bit severe upon the acquaintances of 
such individuals, but it is part of the cross of friendship to be 
resigned at the occasions when automobiles are purchased, families 
augmented, or houses built. 
Barring the strain on one’s intimates, the pleasure of launching 
the project of a new home is a delightful one and works a trans¬ 
formation upon individuals. Delicate, supine females become 
ranging scouts of the outlying districts in search of advantageous 
building lots; nor are they deterred by the discouragements of 
the most inclement skies. Likewise with the enthusiast in sport, 
whose language is mostly composed of the patois of the links and 
paddock; his conversation suddenly sounds like a reading in an 
architectural lexicon. The building game is an absorbing one and 
partakes of all the interest found in an engrossing recreation. 
It has perhaps as many intricacies to be mastered and requires 
as much study, but much of the experience of others may be sub¬ 
stituted for the actual practice necessary to become proficient in 
minor pastimes. 
Seriously, however, there is much to be learned by the house¬ 
builder before he can build right. House & Garden, therefore, 
tries each year to emphasize the salient points of the process; and 
though the course of instruction appears annually, we feel that 
the topic is of perpetual interest. It is hoped that the quasi- 
technical details will not appear discouraging to some. They are 
given so that the individual will know what are the desiderata in 
his new home; so that he can be competent to choose first his 
prime requisites and then between the alternatives of luxuries 
that his appropriation allows him. 
General points stand out from this issue and bear underlining. 
First, a present tendency to consider plan before style, and second 
to insist on permanence before elaboration. Many of our best 
architects feel that after the plan has shaped itself about the 
client’s requirements that the exigencies of the situation will de¬ 
termine the best type of building to erect. When a plan is decided 
upon that takes care of all the client’s needs and desires, the 
architect’s technical knowledge, bound by the canons of his craft, 
will find that the exterior design apparently suggests itself. 
Under such a method of procedure it will be apparent at once that 
the architect is freer to exert his creative genius, that he can 
develop a design that meets a given situation more exactly than 
where he has attempted to reproduce a style indigenous to a 
foreign locality or a different age. Coupled with this idea is the 
other restriction of type of construction. Not only are munici¬ 
palities awakening to the need of building restrictions, and a more 
lasting, safe, fire-resisting structure, but architects themselves are 
active in this same field. It will thus be seen that the building 
game is working under revised rules, and the product should be 
a better home for the individual and the creation of untrammeled 
architecture. 
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