The Natural History of Selborne

A bushel of American wheat, which Bro. Tho. sent last year to one of his tenants in the hundreds of Essex from Nore hill, produced this harvest 40 bushels of seed: — and is much admired in that district, because from the stiffness of it’s straw it does not lodge.  Wheat is so apt to lodge in these parts, that they are often obliged to mow it down in the blade about May, lest it should fall flat to the ground.  This process they call swonging.

Mrs Ben White brought to bed of a Son, who makes my nephews & nieces 55 in number.

Beautiful picturesque, partial fogs along the vales, representing rivers, islands, & arms of the sea!  These fogs in London & other parts were so deep that much mischief was occasioned by men falling into rivers, & being over-turned into ditches, etc.

After the servants are gone to bed the kitchen-hearth swarms with minute crickets not so large as fleas, which must have been lately hatched.  So that these domestic insects, cherished by the influence of a constant large fire, regard not the season of the year; but produce their young at a time when their congeners are either dead, or laid up for the winter, to pass away the uncomfortable months in the profoundest slumbers, & a state of torpidity.

Housed 8 cords of beech billet, which had taken all the rains of the late wet summer, & autumn, & is therefore of course in but indifferent order.

Rime on the hanger.

The miller supplies us with cold, damp flour, & says he can get no other: he adds, that the best wheat is at the bottom of the mows, & will not come forth till the spring.  The latter part of the wheat harvest was very wet.

Do left us.  Flood at Gracious street.

Few woodcocks; & few pheasants left.  Many hares have been found on our hill: the wetness of the season, it is supposed, induces them to leave the vales, & to retreat to the uplands.  Reb. & Hannah White came from Newton.

A flock of red-wings.  Men have not finished their wheat season: some low grounds too wet to be sown.