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THE

FARMER'S ALMANACK,

CALCULATED ON A NEW AND IMPROVED PLAN,
FOR THE YEAR OF OUR LORD

1841,

Being first after Bissextile or Leap Year, and 65 American
Independence.

Fitted to the city of Boston, but will answer for the adjoining States.
Containing, besides the large number of Astronomical Calculations,
and the Farmer's Calendar for every month in the year,
as great a variety as any other Almanack, of

NEW, USEFUL AND ENTERTAINING MATTER.

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PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY JENKS & PALMER.

Sold, also, by most Booksellers and Traders throughout the New England States.
[Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1840, by Charles J. Hendee, in the Clerk's Office of
the District Court of Massachusetts.]

55

TO PATRONS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

Our annual tribute is again due to the friends of the Farmer's Almanack; stimulated by their long-continued and increasing patronage, we feel anxious to sustain the unprecedented reception we have so long had the happiness to enjoy; while our numerous competitors are freely assuming our title.

W. H. B. Jr.'s Enigma is wanting in many of the requisites in writing a good Enigma. We have received many offerings of the kind, which bear evident marks of juniorism, which, for our own and the authors' credit, we have withholden from public inspection for this reason only.

Our respected friend J. W. D. is gratefully recognised, to whom we owe our best respects for his acceptable annual contributions to our little work. We feel willing to remunerate him for his constant and unremitting labor,-if he will be so good as to call at the publishers' store.

We are sorry to notice that our correspondents are less numerous the year past than usual, and more particularly our Mathematical friends; true, one or two of them have deceased. We shall ever be happy to receive any new improvement in Agriculture, art or science adapted to our small work, as also useful or diverting and amusing Essays, Anecdotes, Enigmas, &c.

NOTE.-All communications must be made by the first day of August, to insure an insertion the ensuing year.

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The Julian Year, introduced by Julius Cæsar, 45 years before the Birth of CHRIST, made every fourth year, without exception, a leap year. This, however, was an over correction; for it supposed the length of the tropical year to be 6554 days, which is too great, and induces an error of 7 days in 900 years. Accordingly, as early as the year 1414, it was perceived that the equinoxes were gradually moving from the 21st of March and September, where they ought always to have fallen, had the Julian year been exact. A new reform of the calendar was thus required; and it took place under the popedom of Gregory XIII. by the omission of 10 nominal days after the 4th of October, 1582, so that the next day was called the 15th, and not the 5th. This change was immediately adopted in all Roman Catholic countries, but tardily in the countries of Protestantism.

In England, THE CHANGE OF STYLE, as it was called, took place after the 2d day of September, 1752, eleven nominal days being then struck out; so that the last day of Old Style being the 2d, the first of New Style, (the next day,) was called the 14th, instead of the 3d. The same legislative enactment which established the Gregorian year in England in 1752, shortened the preceding year, 1751, by a full quarter. Previous to that time, the year was held to begin with the 25th of March, and the year 1751 accordingly did so; but that year was not suffered to run out, being supplanted on the 1st of January by the year 1752, which it was enacted should commence on that day.

Russia is now the only country in Europe in which the old style is still adhered to, and the difference between the European and Russian dates amounts, at present, tó about two weeks.

UNITED STATES HOTEL IN BOSTON.

This Hotel is the largest public house in New England; situated at the termination of the Norwich, Western and Worcester Railroad. It is six stories high, containing about 300 rooms. As many as 500 persons can find accommodations. It has been erected at an expense of $200,000.

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There will be six Eclipses this year, four of the Sun, and two of the Moon. I. The first will be a small eclipse of the Sun, on the 22d day of January, near 12 at noon; invisible to all on the earth; visible only in the southmost ocean.

II. The second will be a total eclipse of the Moon, February the 5th, as follows:

Beginning,

Middle,

7h 36m

Total immersion,

- 8 30

End of total darkness,

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III. The third will be a very small eclipse of the Sun, February 21st, 6h. 37m. in morning, invisible, except in the most northern latitudes.

IV. The fourth, likewise, will be a small eclipse of the Sun, July 18th, 9h. 29m. in morning, invisible in the United States.

V. The fifth will be a total eclipse of the Moon, partly visible, August 2d, as fol. lows, viz:

Beginning,

3h 19m)

Mean time, morn.

Beginning of total darkness, -4 25
Moon sets nearly totally eci., 4 55

VI. The sixth will be another small eclipse of the Sun, August 16th, 4h. 49m. in the evening, visible only in the extreme southern latitudes.

OBSERVATIONS on the Weather, &c., the year past, beginning September 1st, 1839, and ending August 31st, 1840.

September-13th, 1839, at night, first frost worth noticing-the month generally fine and pleasant, though rather dry-little rain fell during the month.

October 4th, hard frost which reaches high lands-12th, dry and pleasant-21st, a powerful rain-26th, continues pleasant to the end of the month.

November-6th, very fine for several days-13th, generally pleasant since the month came in-23d, very cold, mer. down to 12 deg. above zero in the morning-28th, very fine again to the end of the month.

December-3d, some snow, the first to whiten the ground-gone directly-8th and 9th, much rain and high wind from S. W.-15th, snow and rain-16th, continues snowing and blowing until the snow was 2 feet on a level, and so drifted and compact that shovelling was resorted to to move cattle-most snow falling at once that has been for 40 years past-27th and 28th, fell 12 inches of snow with rain-30th, 2 feet snow and very solid, bearing a man; no breaking out without shovelling, and very cold.

January-1st, 1840, cold, and snow deep-10th, 2 inches snow and very light12th, very cold week, mer. 15 deg. below zero-21st, very fine-23d high wind at N. W.

February-1st, snowy-5th, very cold, mer. 6 deg. below zero-8th, thawy and mild-22d, no sleighing in the road. The month generally pleasant.

March-2d, remarkably fine-snow out of the road-7th, high winds and cold17th, 4 inches wet snow-23d, cold and rough. Month rather cold-No. of snows, 12 -depth, 6 feet.

April-2d Fast-20th, very fine for some days-28th, much rain, rain streams high. May 4th and 5th, very rainy-18th, extreme warmth, mer. 74 deg.-20th, cool winds.

June-1st, misty-5th, fine-11th, rain begins to be wanted-13th, fine, but dry-English grass very forward and abundant-many are haying.

July 4th, fine but dry-7th, vegetation_hegins to droop-15th, great heat, mer. up to 90 deg.-19th, light shower, first for five weeks past-29th, some rain.

August-3d, continues dry-8th, extreme dry-vegetation has suffered much, early potatoes in particular, the tops withered up, and will grow no more, rain or no rain-Indian corn on dry lands becomes white-11th, thunder and lightning, and some rain-13th, some-20th, great heat-23d, powerful rain-vegetation revives.Hay, bountiful crops-Indian corn forward, crop medium-potatoes very light-fruits plenty, especially apples and peaches-nuts doubtful.

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Harvard College.-1st. From the end of the first term, six weeks. 2d, from the end of the second term, to Friday after Commencement; the academical year being divided into two terms of 20 weeks each.

Amherst College.-Commencement, six weeks. Second Wednesday in January, two weeks. First Wednesday in May, two weeks.

Yale College-Commencement, six weeks. First Wednesday in January, two weeks. Last Wednesday in April, four weeks.

Burlington College.-Commencement, four weeks. First Wednesday in January, eight weeks.

Dartmouth College.-Commencement, four weeks. Last Monday in December, six and a half weeks. Thursday preceding the last Wednesday in May, two and a half weeks.

Providence College.-December 10th, three weeks. July 21st, till Commencement.

March 31st, three weeks.

Williamstown College.-Commencement, four weeks. Wednesday after third Wednesday in December, six weeks. First Wednesday in May, three weeks. Middlebury College. Commencement, four weeks. Last Wednesday in November, one week. Second Wednesday in February, two weeks. Third Wednesday in May, two weeks.

Bowdoin College.-Commencement, three weeks. Friday after the third Wednes. day in December, eight weeks. Friday after the third Wednesday in May, two weeks. EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Salary.

MARTIN VAN BUREN,

RICHARD M. JOHNSON,

New York,
Kentucky,

John Forsyth,

James K. Paulding,

Joel R. Poinsett,

Levi Woodbury,

John M. Niles,

Henry D. Gilpin,

President,

$25,000

Vice-President,

5,000

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6,000

New York,

Secretary of the Navy,

6,000

South Carolina,

Secretary of War,

6,600

New Hampshire,

Secretary of the Treasury,

6,000

Connecticut,

Postmaster-General,

6,000

Pennsylvania,

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AMERICAN PRESIDENTS.

George Washington, Born Feb. 22, 1732 Inaug. 1789 Term expired 66th yr. of age.

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Every letter of a single sheet, not over 30 miles, 6 cents; over 30 and not exceeding 80, 10 cents over 80 and not exceeding 150, 124 cents; over 150 and not exceeding 400, 184 cents; over 400, 25 cents.

Letters composed of two pieces of paper, double postage; three pieces, triple, and four pieces, quadruple.

Packets composed of one or more pieces of paper, or one or more other articles, and weighing one ounce, quadruple those rates, and in proportion for all greater weight. Every article sent in the mail, which is not either a newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, or legislative journal, is subject to letter postage, excepting printers' bills to their subscribers, which may be sent in a newspaper, magazine, &c.

Every ship letter, originally received at an office for delivery, 6 cents, and if for warded by post, with the addition of two cents to the ordinary rates of postage. Letters by steam-boats are subject to postage as if carried all the way by land. Newspapers, not over 100 miles, 1 cent; over 100 miles, 1 cent; to any distance in the state where printed, I cent. Magazines and pamphlets, not over 100 miles, 4 cents per sheet, that is, 4 cents for every 4 pages folio, 8 quarto, 16 octavo, or 24 duodecimo, or of a smaller size; over 100 miles, 6 cents. But if published periodically, the postage is, not over 100 miles, 1 cent; over 100 miles, 2 cents.

Magazines and pamphlets must be marked with the number of sheets they contain.

*.. hand COMMON NOTES FOR 1841.

Golden Number

Cycle of the Sun V

18
2

Dominical Letter
Epact

The Names and Characters of the Twelve Signs of the ZODIAC,

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C

Sagittarius, thighs. xiao

Capricornus, knees.

Aquarius, legs.

Pisces, feet.

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1000 1 25 015 00

60 00

N. B. To understand the use of this table-against 2 dolls. for one week, you will find the interest to be 1 mill-one month, 1 çent-one year, 12 cents.

YEARLY AND QUARTERLY MEETINGS OF FRIENDS IN N. ENGLAND. Yearly meeting, beginning with select do., 7th day after 2d 6th day, 6th month, 9th hour morn., at Portsmouth, R. I.-Public meeting for worship 1st day following at Newport and Portsmouth, 10th hour morn. and 4th after. Meeting for business at Newport 2d day following, 9th hour morn.

This yearly meeting comprises the Quarterly Meetings of Rhode Island, Salem, Sandwich, Falmouth, Smithfield, Vassalborough, and Dover, held as follows, viz Rhode Island-On the 1st 5th day, 8th month, Portsmouth; Ist 5th day, 11th month, Somerset; 1st 5th day, 2d month, Providence; 1st 5th day, 5th month, East Greenwich. Salem--On the 4th 5th day, 5th month, Saybrook; 3d 5th day, 8th month, Lynn; 3d 5th day, 10th month, Ware; 3d 5th day, 1st month, Salem. SandwichOn the 1st 5th days, 4th and 12th months, New Bedford; Ist 5th day, 7th month, Nantucket; 1st 5th day, 10th month, Sandwich. Falmouth-On the 5th day before the 1st 6th day in the month, at Windham, in the 2d and 9th months; at Falmouth, in the 6th, and at Durham in the 11th. Smith field-On the 2d 5th day, 8th month, Bolton; 2d 5th day, 11th month, Northbridge; 2d 5th day, 2d month. Smithfield; 2d 5th day, 5th month, Northbridge. Vassalborough-On the 5th day before the 2d 6th day, 2d, 9th, and 11th months; and the 5th day before the last 6th day, 5th month, Vassalborough. Dover, N. H.-On the 4th 5th day in the month; at Dover, in the 4th; at North Berwick, in the 8th; at Sandwich, in the 10th; and at Rochester, upper meeting, (Meaderborough,) in the 1st.

LIST OF BROKEN BANKS IN NEW ENGLAND.

Corrected by J. W. Clarke & Co., Globe Bank Building, Boston.

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Nahant Bank, Lynn, Mass.

Passamaquoddy, Eastport, Me.

Wiscasset. Maine.

Roxbury Bank, Roxbury.

Oxford, Fryburg, Me.

Wolfborough, N. H.
Essex, Guildhall, Vt.
Old Town, Orono, Me.

Farmers' and Mechanics', Adams,
South Village, Mass.
Middling Interest, Boston.

List of Banks in New England whose Charters have expired.-*Kilby_Bank, *Fulton Bank, *Hancock Bank, Commonwealth Bank, *Commercial Bank, Boston, Mass; Chelsea Bank; Nahant Bank, Lynn; Sutton Bank, Wilkinsonville, Mass.; Farmers and Mechanics', Pawtucket, R. I.; Bath Bank; Winthrop Bank; Bangor Bank; Saco Bank, Maine; Kennebunk Bank, at Arundel, Me.; Damariscotta Bank, at Damariscotta, Maine; *Old Cumberland Bank, Portland; Newburyport Bank; Waterville Bank; Concord, (Sparhawk, cashier,) N. H.; *Mendon Bank; Phoenix Bank, Nantucket; *Hampshire Bank, at Northampton, Mass.

*The bills of these banks are still paid.

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