The Natural History of Selborne

“On the last day of this month my Fathr Mr Ben Wh. shot in his own garden at S. Lambeth, a Loxia curvisrostra, or Cross bill, as it was feeding on the cones of his Scotch firs.  There were six, four cocks, & two hens: what he shot was a cock, which was beautifull variegated with brown, & green, & a great deal of red: it answered very accurately to Willughby’s description; & weighed rather more than 1 ounce & an half.  In the evening the five remaining birds were seen to fly over the garden, making a chearful note.”  Thus far Mrs Ben White.  To which we add that flights of Cross bills used to frequent Mrs Snooke’s scotch firs in the month of July only.  Mr Ray says, “per autumnum interdum sed rarius in Angliam venit, non autem apud nos perennat aut ndificat.”  Synopsis.

Made black curran-jelly.  Finished cutting the tall hedges.  Gathered some lavender.

A basket of mushrooms from Honey-lane.  Gathered wall-nuts for pickling.

Mrs Henry White, & Lucy came from Fyfield.

The foreign Arum in the vicarage court, called by my Grandmother Dragons, & by Linnaeus Arum Dracunculus, has lately blown.  It is an Italian plant, & yet has subsisted there thro’ all the severe frosts of 80 or 90 years; & has escaped all the diggings, & alterations that have befallen the borders of that garden.  It thrives best under a N. wall, but how it is propagated does not appear.  The spatha, & spadix are very long.

Children bring wood-strawberries in great plenty.  Made straw-berry jam.  Gathered currans, & rasps for jam: my rasps are fair & fine.  The farmers at Selborne had not half a crop of hay.  Hops thrive at this place.  Merise, wild cherries, over at the vicarage, ripen.

My broad beans are just come in.

Mr. Budd’s annuals very fine.  Ground well moistened: after-grass grows.

Alton

Rye cut & bound at Clapham.  Wheat looks well, & turns colour. Hay making at Farnham: pease are hacking near the town; hops distempered.

Small shower: heavy rain at Clapham, & Battersea.  On this day Mrs Edmd White was brought to bed of a daughter, who encreases my nephews & nieces to the number of 58.