Of the numerous other instances of weather-lore associated with
agricultural operations, it is said in relation to rain:--
"Sow beans in the mud, and they'll grow like wood."
And a saying in East Anglia is to this effect:--"Sow in the slop (or sop), heavy at top."
A further admonition advises the farmer to"Sow wheat in dirt, and rye in dust;"
While, according to a piece of folk-lore current in East Anglia, "Wheat
well-sown is half-grown." The Scotch have a proverb warning the farmer
against premature sowing:--
"Nae hurry wi' your corns,
Nae hurry wi' your harrows;
Snaw lies ahint the dyke,
Mair may come and fill the furrows."
And according to another old adage we are told how:--"When the aspen leaves are no bigger than your nail,
Is the time to look out for truff and peel."[7]
In short, it will be found that most of our counties have their items of
weather-lore; many of which, whilst varying in some respect, are
evidently modifications of one and the same belief. In many cases, too, it
must be admitted that this species of weather-wisdom is not based
altogether on idle fancy, but in accordance with recognised habits of
plants under certain conditions of weather. Indeed, it has been pointed
out that so sensitive are various flowers to any change in the
temperature or the amount of light, that it has been noticed that there is
as much as one hour's difference between the time when the same flower
opens at Paris and Upsala. It is, too, a familiar fact to students of
vegetable physiology that the leaves of Porleria hygrometrica fold down
or rise up in accordance with the state of the atmosphere. In short, it was
pointed out in the Standard, in illustration of the extreme sensitiveness
of certain plants to surrounding influences, how the Haedysarums have
been well known ever since the days of Linnseus to suddenly begin to
quiver without any apparent cause, and just as suddenly to stop. Force
cannot initiate the movement, though cold will stop it, and heat will set
in motion again the suspended animation of the leaves. If artificially kept