fu
Tuesday, Npvember 17,
1903.
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER
The Changes of the Iloca.
There are a good many people who
believe firmly in the effect of the
moon on th weather, and there are
a good many others who while they
are in doubt give the benefit. of the
doubt to the moon. If there has
been a drought they look for rain at
the change of the moon. If there
is a lonsr spell-of wet weather they
think it will clear at the next change.
The moon is a body which gives
no light of its own; but only reflects
the light of the sun. If a mirror
were placed in the middle of a room
and a candle moved around it, the
light of the candle would be seen in
the mirror until it was moved behind
it, when the mirror would be dark
and give no light. Roughly speak
ing, tha't is the way of the moon's
light. How then could the reflection
of the sun's light possibly affect the
weather?
The "chancres" or phases of the
moon occur every seven days, and
they are the same at the same time
in every State in the Union. If we
may look for a rain at the next
change in Georgia, why not in Texas
"and in Virginia and in Kentucky at
the same time? But there is not the
same weather in these States at one
time, it will De cloudy at one place
clear and dry at another, rainy at
another, raining and wet at another.
And if the change of the moon can
cause any weather it should be the
same wherever that change is seen.
The moon is always "changing."
We speak of "full moon." "first"
and "last" quarters for convenience.
but the place of the moon is never
the same one day that it was the day
before. We ought then to have dif
ferent weather every day, no matter
what the time of year.
ne moon aoes anecx me xiaes, dux
that is due to the relation of the
moon's mass to the earth, and not to
moonlight, and the tide ebbs and
flows every day.
There is also a singular conection
or coincidence between the full moon
in April and the weather. The tem
perature generally falls' about that
time and in the Piedmont resion3
we look for frost. This coincidence
is not invariable, however, and will
vary several days.
The English Navy Department
once made extensive inquiry into this
question, examining a number of of
fleers of long experience on the re
sults of their observations. The
great majority of them declared that
tween the moon and, the weather.
One old sea captain replied that he
had noticed that three of four days
either before or after a change of
the moon, it was apt to blow or rain.
That was a fair margin.
The truth is, that coincidences of
,this kindlike others, are remember
ed, while failures are forgotten.
Records which have been kept by
careful observers for fifty years show
that the moon or its changes have
no effect whatever on planting, op
erating on animals, cutting timber
or harvesting. The results were the
same, moon or no moon.
A planter of the old regime, a
close observer of the signs, wrote
forty years ago, "I think the time
is not -far distant when men will be
ashamed to look for a rain certain
at the next change or to regard
those changes of the moon in sow
ing or planting seed or cutting chil
dren's hair or spaying pigs, or killing
hogs or to believe that 'wheat turns
to cheat,' or a thousand other Tve
heard 'em sas' equally nonsensical.
I have not a doubt our children will
be amazed to learn that their fathers
ever entertained such silly notions."
The farmers are getting out of
this rut, though there are some of
them who would as soon think of
throwing their potatoes on the ma
nure pile as to plant them in the
light of the moon. Some day they
will learn that it is not the moon
which brings the rains or sunshine.
but the currents of air set in motion
or deflected by belts of woodland,
grassy -meadows, streams and lakes
and hillsides. Southern Farmer.
A Review of "The One Woman."
Editor of The Progressive Farmer:
A friend of mine has' kindly pre
sented me with a neatly bound copy
of "The One Woman," which I have
read with great carefulness to find
out what is the secret of its wonder
ful popularity.
It is a very strong book. All of its
leading characters, Ruth Gordon,
"the one woman;" Kate Ransom, the
other woman; Rev. Frank Gordon,
the socialist; Mark Overman, the
bachelor banker; Morris King, the
great Tammany lawyer and politic!
an; Arnold Van Meter, the worldly
minded Shorthorn deacon, are the
strongest representatives of their
kind that he could have selected, and
the natural development of the guid
ing principles of each one's life is
shown in a masterly manner.
It shows the inevitable tendency
of socialism and other disorders of
society to produce unrest, disorder
and selfishness of the vilest kind,
leading to the overthrow of the home
the desecrations of religion and the
violation of every civil and moral
obligation of mankind.
The book is valuable in that it
presents the most gorgeous and at
tractive features of socialism in our
largest cities, and shows the end of
such as embrace it and become the
leading spirits . in its propagation.
To be benefited by reading it, one
must follow its characters to the end
of the book, when he will realize that
the pomp and glitter that goes with
the leaders of the modern reforma
tory and religious f ad3 is of short
duration, and after all "but vanity
and vexation of spirit." Dowie's
crusade in New York, and Dowio
himself, has already become the
laughing stock or the disgust of the
nation, and so will all other fads for
the betterment of mankind not
founded on the precepts of the Holy
Bible. N:B.C.
Sampson Co., N. C.
With patience sour grapes become
sweet and the mulberry-leaf satin.
Turkish Proverb, in Century.
AOfdC!
FOR FALL SOWING.
Farmers and Gardenera who do
dro tha latest and fullest informs
tlozi &botifc -
Vqefctb mi hm S::is
ehould write for Wood's Ns7
PsM Cctr&zcs. ItelLs all about
tho U1 planting of Lettuce, Ccb
bzp other Vcctstlo crops
which ere proving co profitable to
southern growers. Also about
Crimsoa Cover, Vetches
Grasses and Covers,
"Seed Oats, Vfceat,
Rye, Barley, etc.
Wcod'o Hcrr Fall Catalog rradlsd
frea on request. Write for it.
T.W. WOOD 6 SOUS,
Secslsmsa, - Riclimond, Va.
flffl ChAlofSCollerowB4b7b!ne
I II li i men ana maorsea oj pasincss men.
UIU U Fourteen Cas&fsrsof B&B&sar on
4 Dr&ughnn's
ft luvuvwf
,1 uutuia
w
0
our-Board of Directors. Oar diploma means
ometnlnff. Enter any urns, rosiuona eenxea.
(Incorporated, Capital iitock iJ00.0C0.00.)
Nashville. Tenn. U AtlsnU.Ca.
ft. WorUl. Texas, ft rvi3RtsKieiy, ..
zt. Louis. K!rr 7t f5lvei!Jhrfxa'
UttleRccSuArfu. Crevcjcrt, La.
Tor iso cam catalogue address either place.
If yen prefer, may pay tuition out of salary af
ter coarse Is completed. Guarantee graduate
to be competent r no cfearpes for tuition.
Penmanship, etc-tanyut by mall. Write for
100 page DOC1CLET on Home Stndy. It's free.
When writing advertisers please
mention this dpt.
IN COLUMBIA, S. C.,
THE DRAUGHON
PRACTICAL BUSINESS COLLEGE CO.
' Draughon's Practical Business
College Co., with headquarters at
Nashville, Tenn., will open school
NUMBER NINE in Columbia, S C
Monday, November 2, 1903.' This
company with a capital stock 0f
$300,000 has schools established in
Atlanta, Ga.", Nashville, Tenn., and
several other places, with special
facilities for seeuring positions, hav
ing business men associated with it
all over the South. Fourteen bank
ers are on its Board of Directors.
It gives a superior course of instruc
tion. Those who wish to secure employ
ment, may, if they prefer, pay the
tuition out of salary after the posi
tion is secured. Special rates will be
given to all who enter the Columbia
College during the next sixty days.
For , Catalogue, which will explain all,
address Draughon's Practical Busi
ness College Co., Nashville, Tenn., or
Atlanta, Ga., or Columbia, S. C, af
ter October 25th.
TT -TV. ,4 -v j&v purr
mf if-y0mt- i
CAVEATG, TRADE MARKS,
COPYRIGHTS AND DESIGNS.
Send your basinets direct to TV ashlagton,
ares tune costs less, oeiier semce.
llr 23Lo 1om to XT. S. Pateat Offio. FBLEE prelimin
ary xudafttloma iud. Atty'a fe net dne until patent
Is evrvd. PERSONAL ATTENTION GIVEN 19 TA8
ACTUAL EXTESIENCE. ook "Bow to obtain Patents,"
te.. tttt firaa. Patent vrocaxe4 through E. 0. Bieeen
reclT syeisl ntfc, without charge, in the
arJVEWTIVE AGE
Clwtrated monthly Err en th year ternu, $1. a fear.
LG.SIGGEflS WASHINGTON, D. C.
TERRACE AND IRRIGATE YOUR FARM.
Bln nisht. and Or gin Right vow. Don't pay
hundreds of dollars for fertilizers and let the rain
wash them away when yon can buy a Bostrom Im
proved Park Lkvbl, with Telescope for $10. (one
without Telescope for $5, and SAVE IT ALL by
properly terracing your farm. For lTigtion and Rice
Culture Ditches, Tile Drainage, Road Bullying, Laying
Out Orchards, Obtalnlnc Angles aDd Foundation Lev
els, there Is no betcer instrument male a rite for de
scriptive circular and Trea'ise on terracing, etc., Free.
Bestrom-Braay flff. Co.. 36 W. Ala . St.. Atlanta, Ga.
TO 0011 FARMS' HIVES AND DAUGHTERS.
TflBRE are two esientiaU 1o a complete outfit of every wel' -regulated
f xrrafrr'i hom; : One it tha 1t farm and family paper he can get,
eepecia'ly if that paper ia publiihed in hit own State and is endeavoring at
jp-eat expense to meet all the reqabements of the home and farm. The
other is a GOOD SEWING MACHINE.
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER
is the paper for the homes of our fanners, and .
Ttio Improved High Arm Alliance Sewing Machine
is most reasonable in price and hts no superior in range and quality of
work. It is finely ornamented and well finished in every particular. It bas
all the latest improvement and sttichments; runs aim st noiselessly. A 1
the wearing parts are made of the finest case-hardened stell and are guaran
teed against any defects for twenty years It is finished in a beautiful
gulden oak, finely carved and tnxnel, and makes an equa ly handsome, and
graceful appearance, viewed from any side.
More than 4 600 of these machines aie in use in North Carolina, giving
eatire satisfaction.
Ager ts tell this grade from $45.00 to fSooo. but we have effected an ar
rangement which enables us to ship one of ttest machines freight (prepaid
to the nearest freight depot) to any lady in North Carolina, wha will send
us before January i, 1904, 50 nw one-year subscribers at i.oo each, witn
the cash.
There are hundreds of smart, energetic young ladies in the State who can,
by a very small expenditure of lime and tact, secure this machine, and who
are requested to write us at once for samples and blanks, and other informa
tion they may thitk they need. Address, -
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER,
RALEIGH, N. C.