The Natural History of Selborne

• 1793: January 17, 1793 – Turnip-greens come in.
• 1792: January 17, 1792 – The Antirrhinum Cymb. which flourished, & blossomed thro’ all last winter, & the summer & autumn following, now killed by the frost.  Hence it is probably that in milder regions it is at least a biennial, if not a perennial.  Before, it has always dyed every winter as soon as the hard frosts began to prevail.
• 1791: January 17, 1791 – Sam & Ned White came from Fyfield.
• 1789: January 17, 1789 – Fine thaw, snow decreased.
• 1787: January 17, 1787 – Strong aurora.
• 1779: January 17, 1779 – Ice on ponds is very thick.
• 1776: January 17, 1776 – Rooks come to dunghills close to houses.   Sky-larks resort to farm-yards.
• 1771: January 17, 1771 – Paths very dusty.  Blue mist still.
• 1769: January 17, 1769 – Wood-lark whistles.  Hogs carry straw.

Notes:
I can’t identify the specific variant here, but Antirrhinum is the snapdragon. It is indeed a perennial in its native Mediterranean climate.