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of France, and, unless expunged by recent alterations, is so still.
The same opinion obtains in the Germa'n forests, and is said to
be held m those of Brazil and Yucatan. The theory given to
account for this supposed fact is, that as the Moon grows, the sap
rises, and the wood is therefore less dense than when the Moon
is waning, because at that time the sap declines. The belief in the
Moon’s influence as regards timber extends to vegetables, and was
at one time universal in England, although, at the present day, the
theory is less generally entertained in our country than abroad,
where they act upon the maxim that root crops should be planted
when the Moon is decreasing, and plants such as Beans, Peas,
and others, which bear the crops on their branches, between new
and full Moon. Throughout Germany, the rule is that Rye should
be sown as the Moon waxes; but Barley, Wheat, and Peas, when
it wanes.
The wax and wane of the belief in lunar influence on plant-
life among our own countrymen may be readily traced by reference
to old books on husbandry and gardening.
In ‘ The Boke of Husbandry,’ by Mayster Fitzherbarde,
published in 1523, we read with respedt to the sowing of Peas, that
“ moste generally to begyn sone after Candelmasse is good season,
so that they be sowen ere the begynnynge of Marche, or sone
upon. And specially let them be sowen in the olde of the Mone.
For the opinion of old husbandes is, that they shoulde be better
codde, and sooner be rype.”
Tusser, in his ‘ Five Hundred Points of Husbandry,’ published
in 1562, says, in his quaint verse—
“ Sowe Peason and Beans in the wane of the Moone,
Who soweth them sooner, he soweth too soone ;
That they with the planet may rest and rise.
And flourish with bearing, most plentiful wise.”
Commenting on that “ Point,” the ed^itor of an edition of
Tusser’s poem printed in 1744, sa y s: “ It must be granted the
Moon is an excellent clock, and if not the cause of many surprising
accidents, gives a just indication of them, whereof this
Pease and Beans may be one instance ; for Pease and Beans
sown during the increase do run more to hawm or straw, and
during the declension more to cod, according to the common
consent of countrymen.” Again, as regards grafting, old Tusser
writes:—
“ In March is good graffing, the skilful do know.
So long as the wind in the East do not blow,
From Moone being changed, til past be the prime,
For graffing and cropping is very good time.”
The editor remarks: “ The Prime is the first three days after
the New Moon, in which time, or at farthest during the first
quarter, our author confines his graffing, probably because the
Isxinar oq pforit/*. 169
first three days are usually attended with rain.” He confesses,
however, he cannot explain the following couplet:—
“ The Moone in the wane gather fruit for to last,
But winter fruit gather when Michel is past.”
In the ‘ Garden of Eden,’ an old gardening book compiled
and issued by Sir Hugh Plat, Knt., in the year 1600, constant
allusions are made to the necessity of studying the Moon’s phases
in gardening and grafting operations. The worthy knight considered
that the Moon would exercise her powers in making single
flowers double if only she were respectfully courted. His counsel
on this point is as follows:—“ Remove a plant of Stock Gilh-
flowers when it is a little woodded, and not too greene, and water
it presently. Doe this three dayes after the full, and remove it
twice more before the change. Doe this in barren ground ; and
likewise, three dayes after the next full Moone, remove again;
and then remove once more before the change. Then at the
third full Moon, viz., eight dayes after, remove againe, and set
it in very rich ground, and this will make it to bring forth a
double flower; but if your Stock Gilliflowers once spindle, then
you may not remove them. Also you must make Tuhppes
double in this manner. Some think by cutting them at every
full Moone before they beare to make them at length to beare
double. Countryman’s Recreation’ (1640) the author fully
recognises the obligation of gardeners to study the Moon m all
their principal operations. Says he : “ From the first day of the
new Moone unto the xiii. day thereof is good for to plant, or
graffe, or sow, and for great need some doe take unto the xvii. or
xviii. day thereof, and not after, neither graffe nor sow, but as is
afore-mentioned, a day or two afore the change, the best signes
are Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorne.” And as regards the treatment
of fruit trees, he tells us that “ trees which come of Nuttes ” should
be set in the Autumn “ in the change or increase of the Moone; ”
certain grafting manipulations are to be executed “ in the increase
of the Moone and not lightly after ; ” fruit, if it is desired of go J
colour and untouched by frost, ought to be gathered “ when the
time is faire and dry, and the Moone in her decreasing ; ” whilst
“ if ye will cut or gather Grapes, to have them good, and to have
good wine thereof, ye shall cut them in the full, or soone after the
full, of the Moone, when she is in Cancer, in Leo, in Scorpio,
and in Aquarius, the Moone being on the waine and under the
earth.”
In ‘ The Expert Gardener ’ (1640)—a work stated to be “ faithfully
collected out of sundry Dutch and French authors ” - - a
chapter is entirely devoted to the times and seasons which should
be selected “ to sow and replant all manner of seeds,” with special
reference to the phases of the Moon. As showing how very