The Moon Has No Influence Upon Our Crops

The Cortland News, Friday, July 23, 1886.

 

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Shawls.  J. M. SAMSON, 52 N. Main Street.

 

TOWN CORRESPONDENCE.

East Homer, July 22, 1886.

   The daily average of milk taken in at the Paradise cheese factory, during the month of June was 11,000 lbs. On account of the warm, dry weather it diminished to nearly 9,000 lbs. No sales either of butter or cheese have been made as yet this summer.

   The farmers in this section, most of them find their hay crop much better than anticipated four weeks ago; some inform us that they are cutting more hay than they did last season. Many are cutting their wheat, which is an average yield.

   Strawberries have entirely disappeared and the raspberries are ripening and very abundant. In consequence the pickers go about the fields.

   There are three events notable and prophetic that are announced to take place on corresponding days of the month of July, August and September, the excursion to Oneida Lake July 29, the total eclipse of the sun August 29th, and Prof. Wiggins' great storm September 29, prox. They are all events worthy and enjoyable and should be taken in—far enough apart so they will not conflict.

 

PREBLE, July 22, 1886.

   The city bugs are recognizing their country cousins about these days.

   It is reported that Mr. Fred Cummings and Miss Ada Seely were married last week.

   Grace Woolston has been obliged to give up teaching on account of her health. She is suffering from rheumatism.

   Sweet flag root is being sought for in this vicinity.

   Bennett Hollow is favored with music every night in the week except Sunday by five young hounds. The neighbors think that dogs will be dogs another year.

   A few of our farmers are obliged to feed their cows hay once a day, as there is no feed in the pastures.

   Mr. East Homer correspondent, we did not pretend to be an astronomer, so that we can tell the causes and effects of the sun, moon and stars, but I claim that common sense will teach us reason to believe that the moon has no influence upon our crops. We claim these are superstitious rites for they have no foundation. These old whims were started thousands of years ago, when people lived in ignorance. But in this day and age of the world, it is about forgotten, (or at least it ought to be.) Some people will not begin a new piece of work on Friday; they will not sow peas in the new of the moon and others will not go fishing till the sign is somewhere. Away with such nonsense! It looks too much like children's play. I have learned to go ahead with work. If it come on Friday it’s just as well and I go fishing when I can find the time, and about sowing peas, I have three pieces of peas sowed at different times. The first was sown in the new of the moon, second in the old, and the third in the new, and the new moon peas are loaded with pods and scarcely any on the old moon. Again I have had them yield right to the reverse. So I claim that the seasons and the condition of the soil have the influence upon us and ours and no one can dispute it.

 

 

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Hitchcock are rejoicing over the arrival of a daughter.

   Go to George Nye's, for cherries, four cents a quart on the tree.

   According to I. W. Brown, who has just completed a census of Cortland village, our population now is 7,792, against 7,137 one year ago — a gain of 655.

   The fat and lean men will play a game of ball on the fairgrounds next Saturday afternoon for the benefit of the building fund of Grace church.

   Colin Campbell in his advertisement on the first page of this week’s NEWS calls attention to an exterminator for the “Buffalo Carpet Bug." He has at his store several of the little "cusses" which he shows under a powerful microscope.

   The trial of Mattie Carpenter and Ida Wilcox for vagrancy, before Justice Bierce [concluded] on Friday last. They were convicted and sentenced, the Carpenter girl to four months. and the Wilcox girl to seventy days in the Onondaga Penitentiary.

   Seymour & Brown, proprietors of the steam mill on Port Watson street have dissolved partnership, Mr. Brown retiring. Mr. Seymour will continue the business. Mr. Brown has purchased of J. L. Watrous the barns on Groton avenue used as a livery, and will open a feed and flour store.

   Tuesday night of last week thieves broke into Arthur Goddard's liquor store on Railroad street and stole several gallons of whisky. Thursday morning the store was again broken into, and besides about eight gallons of whisky, a couple boxes of cigars were taken. Although enough evidence has not been procured to warrant any arrests, the officers are certain who the guilty parties are.

   The new iron roller ordered by the Board of Trustees a year or so since made its appearance on the streets Wednesday morning, from the Hitchcock shops. It is made of cast iron in four sections and weighs 8,000 pounds. The idea of those ordering it was that it would crush the stones on the street as it rolled over them, thus doing away with picking them up. It is quite needless to say that in this respect the roller is a mammoth failure.

   At the fire near Polkville last Friday, after the frame of the barn had all burned down and it was too hot to stand within four rods of the burning hay, a cat came from the midst of the ruins and ran into and out of sight as if life depended on every jump. One could not tell that it was frightened by the hair standing on its back for every hair was gone, its feet were apparently burned raw and the whole body looked as if it were cooked alive. Cats may have ten lives but if this one has to go through nine more similar ordeals its lot is truly pitiable— McGrawville Sentinel.

   Out buildings on the Warner farm, owned by Albert McGraw, two and one-fourth mile south-east of Cortland, were discovered to be on fire about ten o'clock last Friday morning. The large hay barn, hennery and a small building used for storing farming utensils were entirely destroyed together with about twenty tons of baled hay and seventy tons of new hay. It is supposed that the fire was the result of spontaneous combustion from the heating of the new hay. There was an insurance of about $1,600 on the building and contents. The only live stock that was burned was one calf. The farming implements were nearly all saved.

   The new iron bridge over the Tioughnioga at Blodgett's Mills was opened for traffic to-day.

   Someone has discovered that one fly on the 20th of March is represented by 300 on the 24th of April, by 300 times 300, equaling 90,000 on the 28th of May, and 8,100,000 on the 8th of August.

   Sergt. David L. Brainard, who was one of the members of the recent Greely arctic expedition, was recently awarded the Back premium by the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain, a very rare prize only awarded when unusual results are attained. To Sergeant Brainard's labor and judgment Capt. Greely ascribes in a large degree the salvation of even the few of the party who were rescued.

   The citizens of Cortland decided by vote at their charter election last spring not to pay rent for the hydrants of the water works company for fire purposes. Things run along until July 3d when the Arnold House caught fire and of course the hydrants were attached and the conflagration squelched. The water company served notice on the board of trustees demanding six month’s rent of hydrants amounting to $1,225 and it looks as if they would get it.—Moravia Republican.

 

Carrie Goodrich Discharged.

   Judge Northrup handed down a decision Tuesday in the habeas corpus case of the people, respondents against Carrie M. Goodrich, appellant. In the October Court of Sessions the woman was convicted of keeping a disorderly house, and was sentenced to the Onondaga Penitentiary for one year. An appeal was taken to the General term and the judgment of the lower court was affirmed. Last week a motion for the woman's discharge was made before Judge Northrup, the application bring based upon the theory that, no entry of the General term judgment having been made, all proceedings subsequent thereto were irregular and without warrant of law. The Judge finds this ground to have been well taken and orders the release of the accused.

   While this decision gives the appellant her liberty for a time, the final result will not be changed.


Reference:
Adolphus Greely: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphus_Greely