The Natural History of Selborne

Neither veal nor lamb is so fat this summer as usual: the reason is, because the cows, & ewes were much reduced by the coldness & wetness of the last very ungenial spring: We have had no rain since June 13.  The ground is bound as hard as iron, & chopped & cracked in a strange mnnaer.  Gardens languish for want of moisture, & the spring-corn looks sadly.  The ears of wheat in general are very small. The wetter the spring is, the more our grounds bind in summer.