The Natural History of Selborne

• 1788: March 8, 1788 – Earthed the bearing cucumber-bed.  The bed comes gently to its heat.
• 1787: March 8, 1787 – Frost, sun, pleasant, spring-like.  Pilewort blows.
• 1785: March 8, 1785 – Sowed radishes under the hot-bed screen.
• 1783: March 8, 1793 – Many redwings feeding in the meadow.
• 1783: March 8, 1783 – The crocus’s make a gaudy appearance, & bees gather on ym. The air is soft.  Violets blow.  Snow lies under hedges.  Men plow.
• 1780: March 8, 1780 – Mrs Snooke dyed, aged 86.
• 1773: March 8, 1773 – Seed-barley sells at 38s pr quarter!  a price never heard of before.
• 1771: March 8, 1771 – Wind N.W. Large flocks of wild-geese go over the forest to the Eastward.

Notes:
Mrs Snooke was Gilbert’s aunt; he was to inherit her tortoise Timothy, who appears frequently in these journals.