THE FARM OF THE FIRST MINISTER. 59 



some forty feet long and thirty feet wide, designed and used for 

 a sheep barn, which was divided into two stories, the upper 

 being used for the storage of hay, and the lower one for the 

 sheltering of sheep and for a cider mill. When sheep hus- 

 bandry and cider making were abandoned, this barn was 

 removed and when, ere long, an increase of crops required 

 more storage room, another structure of better design and 

 larger proportions was erected. 



These, together with two houses not mentioned, a horse 

 stable, corn barn, wood shed, and other small structures, con- 

 stitute the present buildings upon the First Minister's Farm. If 

 none of them are very fine, they are as good as the farm profits 

 will support, and are adequate to all the demands made upon 

 them. When, some years ago, the president of the old Perth 

 Amboy railroad in New Jersey, was asked why he did not 

 build a better station at Trenton, the capital of the state, he 

 quietly replied that " hemlock boards yielded very good divi- 

 dends to the stockholders." 



APPENDIX F. 



EXTRACTS FROM A DIARY KEPT BY BENJAMIN KIMBALL 

 AT KIMBALL'S FERRY, SO CALLED, CONCORD, N. H. 



1 8 15. March 25. Last passing the river on the ice. 

 May iS. First planting. 



May 30. Apple Trees in full blossom. 



Sept. 23. A high gale of wind, (September gales,) 

 which destroyed buildings, fences and trees to an im- 

 mense amount. 



1816. June 6-12. Six days very cold weather; snow fell, 



ground froze, and corn killed. 

 Sept. 23. A hard freeze, ears of corn froze through. 

 July 7. A hard frost ; cold for six days. 



181 7. April 1. Good passing on the ice with horses. 

 Sept. 30. The first frost. 



Dec. 23. First passing the river on the ice. 



