NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



213 



High fiuthoritii\s can never outweigh the still higher 

 authority of truth. We have regarded cattle shows 

 as among t!ic most cfteetual means of improvement, 

 and \vc hope thatthjse who oppose these exhibitions 

 will show what evils nccessaily attend them, before 

 tlicy attempt to lessen their influence. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 



APPLE-TREES-TIME OF BLOSSOMING. 



Mu. EiiiroK: Tiiikin!; that you may be pleased 

 to Iny b.'foie you;- rea lers the following tnble, I for- 

 ward it for insertion in the New England Farmer. 

 It contains the blos-ioaiing of apple-trees in Mans- 

 field, Massachusetts ioi JifCij-tioo years, from 1798 to 

 184), in 1 .s vc. 



Observ.vtions. — May 9, 1830, and June 2, 1812, 

 are the two extremes. Difference, 24 days ; the 

 mean of w-hiuh is May 21. The mean annual 

 blossoming for the whole fifty-two years, is exactly 

 May 21. The mean of the first 23 years, is May 

 22, nearly ; and of the last 26 years, is May 20. 



The observations were taken wiien the blossoms 

 had fully expanded, generallv, (except some late 

 kinds, as the russet, &y.,) aid their petals had besiun 

 to fall to the grou.id ; (that is, as ma ly petals had 

 fallen as what remfuned to expand.) 



My father. Isaac Stearns, Sen., who was a farmer 

 of Maiislield, took the old Farmer's Almanac, pub- 

 lished by Robert B. Thomas, from its commencement, 

 in 1731, till his death, (mv father's,) in 1837. and 

 carefully noted in the margin of the Almanacs, the 

 lime of the blossom hij; of apple and other trees, 

 •with other events, which are to this day ] reserved in 

 the family, making four good-sized volumes. Wo 

 have been careful to continue the practice, so that 

 you may depend upon the accuracy of the memo- 

 randa. 



Most respectfuUv vours, 



ISAAC STEARNS. 



Mansfield, June 4, 1849. 



EnrroKi.vL Rum vuks. — The preceding record forms 

 an important document for the farmer, as it presents 

 fdcts instead of guess-work, which is often substitu- 

 ted for authentic records, which might be kept by 

 every man. Many persons have observed that 



this is the latest season that they ever knew. 

 By the above record it appears that several seasons 

 have been more backward, and one was four days 

 later. 



These records arc very valuable to the cultivator, 

 serving, in many cases, as a guide in timing various 

 operations. These and others, embracing various 

 matters, should be kept by every farmer and gardener. 

 They will cost him but little time, and they are often 

 of much importance and utility. 



For the New Enrjlaiid Farmer. 

 THE HAY CROP. 



WHAT SHALL WE DO AVITH THE SURPLUS ? 



Mr. Editor : As many of our farmers have a 

 large surplus of hay on hand, and as the prospect is 

 nov,- favorable for another large crop, the question 

 naturally arises, with those who have a surplus on 

 hand, and usually fill their barns with one crop, 

 What can be done with the hay the present season? 



A kind Providence so orders that before a scarcity 

 there is usually a great plenty. We are informed that 

 before the seven years' famine in Egypt, there were 

 seven years of plenty. I do not predict a famine of 

 hay, (at least the present appearances do not indi- 

 cate it ;) but I do think that it should be preserved, 

 for it is usually the case, that all the surplus hay 

 will be wanted, and will sell for a fair price within 

 a few years. 



Now, the question is as to the best way of keeping 

 it without the expense of building now barns, as that 

 is too expensive for one surplus crop. 



One person recommends stacking it and covering it 

 with oil cloth ; another person recommends cover- 

 ing the stack with a roof; a third person recom- 

 mends screwing the hay, as it then will occupy but 

 little room, and is more convenient to carry to mar- 

 ket. 



I should like to have you, or some of your intelli- 

 gent correspondents, give some information, through 

 your valuable paper, on the subject. 



The expense of the oil cloth, and its durability ; 

 the best manner of making a roof, and its expense ; 

 the expense of screwing ; the expense of screwing 

 apparatus ; also whether screwing injures the hay, 

 and whether new hay c.in .be screwed in the field 

 without injuring it ; also any other information con- 

 nected with the subject. 



A SUBSCRIBER. 



Editorial Remarks. — Hay may be secured in 

 stat-ks, by covering them well, which can be done at 

 a moderate expense. A better way, when there is a 

 convenient chance, is to make a large mow against 

 the barn, and secure it by a good covering of boards 

 or other suitable material. Perhaps one long stack, 

 forming an oblong square, would be preferable to sev- 

 eral, as it could be covered with more convenience, 

 and there would be less exposure on the sides. 



Hay may be pressed at a moderate expense, and 

 it will then require far less room than loose hay. But 

 to do it cheaply, a person should have a good appa- 

 ratus, and be weU acquainted with the business. In 

 those sections where much hay is pressed, the press- 

 ing is usually done by some persons who travel round 

 and make a business of it. The usual price is about 

 seventy-five cents a ton and board, making the 

 whole cost about a dollar a ton. 



As to the cost of binding materials, we do not 



