The Natural History of Selborne

Heavy thundrous clouds, copious dew. Opened, & slipped-out the superfluous shoots of the artichockes.

Hops grow prodigiously, yet are infested with some aphides.  Early cabbages turn hard, but boil well.  Watered kidney-beans, which come-up well.

Wheat begins to come into ear: wheat, which was very yellow from the cold winds, by means of the heat has recovered it’s colour without the assistance of rain.  Dew, cloudless, sultry.  Red even, dead calm.  The lettuces, which stood under the fruit-wall thro’ the winter, are just over.  They have been of great service at the table now for many weeks.

Elder, & corn-flags begin to blow already.  Thunder to the S.E., N.E., & N.W.  Gardens, & fields suffer.

Saint foin blows, & the Stfoin fly Sphinx filipendula, appears. Rain at Emsworth. Fyfield sprung a fern-owl on the zig-zag which seemed confounded by the glare of the sun, & dropped again immediately. Mr. Bridger sends me a fine present of trouts caught in the stream down at Oakhanger. The distant hills look very blue in the evenings.

Myriads of tadpoles travers Comb-wood pond in shoales:  when rain comes they will emigrate to land, & cover the paths & fields.  We draw much water for the garden, so that the well sinks. Flowers are hurried out of bloom by the heat;  spring-corn & gardens suffer.

Fern-owl, & chur-worm jar.  Men wash their fatting sheep; & bay the stream to catch trouts.  Trouts come up our shallow streams almost to the spring-heads to lay their spawn.