406 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



stantly offer from writers of acknowledged ability 

 and practical skill, he can often gather something 

 new and valuable even to him. The happy frame 

 of mind in which he appropriates these crumbs to 

 himself, is refreshing to contemplate ! 



For the New England Farmer. 



HAY-CAPS. 



Mr. Editor : — At the risk of being considered 

 fault-finding, I take the liberty of differing from 

 the subscriber at Weare, in regard to the construc- 

 tion of "hay-caps," an article much needed, and as 

 yet not extensively used by the farmers of New 

 Hampshire. He takes upon himself the duty of 

 impressing on the minds of all, in the briefest man- 

 ner possible, a new method of constructing this ar- 

 ticle at a cost very much diminished from that sus- 

 tained by the person or persons constructing them 

 by any other method. Let us copy a few lines from 

 the "quill." "Tear off pieces of common cloth, 

 some a yard, some a yard and a quarter, some a 

 yard and a half long. Turn up the edges suffi- 

 ciently to form loops, which fasten with a common 

 brass pin." These he calls "his arms and equip- 

 ment-," and furthermore says that the gude wife 

 will take them after they have served an appren- 

 ticeship in the field. Now we are sorry to learn 

 that the "quill" holds the farmers of New Hamp- 

 shire, or of any other place, in so light estimation 

 as to suppose that they would use an article con- 

 structed in so shiftless a manner, laying aside the 

 utter uselessness of the attempt. Farmers living 

 up to the good old maxim, that "what is worth do- 

 ing is worth doing well," would not justify such a 

 fabrication, nor could the arguments of the "quill" 

 itself influence them to believe in its efficacy. Im- 

 agine that the hay is covered and enclosed (which, 

 by the way, must be in very small cocks to be ef- 

 fectually covered by one yard, or even a yard and 

 a half, of cloth) in the manner proposed. How 

 long think you would it so remain, on the appear- 

 ance of one of the many violent showers, which 

 daily occur in New England ? I think that his 

 "arms and equipments" would be transferred to 

 diflFerent quarters in a manner more speedy that 

 was the idea of constructing such an article in en- 

 tering the fertile brain of the "quill." And what 

 use tlie "gude wife" can make of sundry pieces of 

 cloth a yard wide, I am unable to conceive. 



We have the following method for constructing 

 hay caps, not wholly relying on our own responsi- 

 bility as to its being a good way, but following in 

 great part in the footsteps of Henry French, Esq., 

 '.vhich method, I believe, 's generally considered 

 the best, in Rockingham County at least. It will 

 show for itself. Stout cloth may be obtained at from 

 eight to ten cents per yard ; this made in caps two 

 yards square, and having strong loops appended 

 from each corner, and the whole neatly and firmly 

 fastened by maple or any other sticks (made for 

 the purpose) constitute our hay caps. Mr. French, 

 if I mistake not, recommends a coat of paint or oil, 

 as beneficial. This I have not tried. Hay caps 

 of this kind may be kept by farmers from one year 

 to another, neatly folded awaj-, and suffering no 

 material change from age, if properly taken care 

 of. p. E. A. 



Ossipee, JV. K, July 19. 



NATIONAL TRIAL OF REAPERS AND 

 MOWERS AT SYRACUSE, N. Y. 



The grand trial of Heaping and Mowing Ma- 

 chines, which was announced some months ago, and 

 for which the several inventors, and proprietors of 

 patent rights, have been busily preparing for some 

 time, came off at Syracuse, N. Y., last week, com- 

 mencing on Monday morning, the 13th inst., and 

 continuing through the entire week. This trial has 

 been the subject of a great deal of interest, not on- 

 ly among those particularly interested in the suc- 

 cess of any one machine, but to the farmers through- 

 out the country. The hay and grain harvests of 

 the United States are of more value than all other 

 products combined ; and, as a large part of their 

 value depends on the manner and time in which 

 they are gathered, it is not strange that the success 

 of machines for accomplishing this work speedily 

 and thoroughly should be a subject of intense inter- 

 est to all concerned. 



On Monday, the first day of the trial, the sever- 

 al machines were congregated for examination at 

 the fair grounds of the Onondaga county Agricul- 

 tural Society, about a mile from Syracuse. The 

 number of entries made with the Secretary of the 

 Implement committee was thirty-eight Mowing 

 Machines, twenty -nine Reapers, and twenty-two 

 Combined Machines. Of the Mowers, three were 

 from New England, twenty from New York, five 

 from Ohio, three from New Jersey, two from Ma- 

 ryland, and the remainder from other States. Of 

 the Reapers, three were from New England, ten 

 from New York, and the others from other States. 

 Of the Combined machines, fifteen entries were 

 made of machines also on the lists of Mowers and 

 reapers, four of machines also entered as Mowers, 

 two also entered as Reapers, and one in competi- 

 tion for the premium for Combined Machines alone. 



On Tuesday morning, when the trial was to com- 

 mence, there were present about forty machines, 

 and others, which had been delayed on the way, 

 were reported from time to time. Other machines 

 not connected with harvesting, were on the ground ; 

 among them a "Rough and Ready Cultivator," an 

 "Ides' Grain Drill," Iron Gang Plows, &c. Of "ba- 

 by reapers," as a wit denominated the models ex- 

 hibited, there was a full assortment. At 11 o'clock 

 President Wilder, escorted by a corps of marshals, 

 under Chief Marshal Taylor, appeared on the 

 grounds. The President was greeted, on alighting 

 at the tent which bore his flag, by a large number 

 of gentlemen distinguished in the various sections 

 where they reside, as agriculturists or as politicians. 

 Delegations were present from many of the State 

 agricultural societies, and the press of all sections 

 was -well represented. The procession of machines 

 now commenced, and after it had moved around 

 the grounds, it was halted in front of the President, 

 who delivered an address, setting forth the merits 



