The Natural History of Selborne

This month proved a very wet one, more so than any month since Decemr 1779: in which fell 6 in. 28, in this 6. 18.

Began to use some of the advertised Celeri, which, I think, is crisper & finer flavoured than any sort that I have met with.

The planet Venus now is visible at Selborne over the hanger.  Planted against the fruit-wall, three well-trained trees that are to begin to bear fruit next year: viz: 1 Peterboro’ nectarine N.E. end.  1 mantaban peach.  1 red Magdalen peach, against the scullery.  1 Elrouge Nectarine.  These trees came from Mr Shiell’s nursery at Lambeth & cost 7s. 6d. on the spot.  They have healthy wood, & well-trained heads.  Planted a Virginian creeper against the wall of my house next the garden.

Fog, wh. frost.  As the fog cleared away, the warm sun occasioned a prodigious reek, or steam to arise from the thatched roofs.  in the evening picturesque partial fogs come rolling-in up the Lithe from the forest.

Cascades fall from the fields into the hollow lanes.

Finished dressing the vines.  The new wood was small, & not highly ripened; so it was laid-in the shorter.  It covers the walls regularly.

Planted two Cypresses in the garden.  They came from S. Lambeth.

Vast rain in the night, with strong wind.  My well is risen near six feet.  Thomas begins to dress the vines.  The crop of grapes is just over, having lasted in perfection more than ten weeks.

The house-martins have disappointed us again, as they did last year, with respect to their Novemr. visit for one day.  On Nov. 5th 1779, & Nov. 4th 1777, they showed themselves all day along the hanger in considerable numbers, after they had withdrawn for some weeks: when, had they been properly watched, their place of retreat in the evening, I make no doubt, might have been easily discovered.  Once in a few years they make us a visit of this sort, some time in the first week in November.

Hares eat down the pinks, & cloves in the the garden: & yet sportsmen complain that the breed this year is very small; alleging that dry summers, tho’ kindly for partridges, are detrimental to hares.