The Natural History of Selborne

Fierce frost.  On this day at 8 o’the clock in the evening Captain Lindsey’s hands were frozen, as he & Mr Powlett were returning from Captain Dumeresque’s to Rotherfield.  The Gent. suffered great pain all night, & found his nails turned black in the morning.  When he got to Rotherfield, he bathed his hands in cold water.  Snow on the ground six inches deep at an average.

Snow covers the ground.

Tapped my new rick of hay this day, which, tho’ made without rain, is vapid, & without much scent ,& consists more of weeds than grass.  The summer was so dry, that little good grass grew, ’till after the first crop was cut.  The rick is also very small.

Many wild-fowls, ducks & widgeons, at Wolmer-pond ’till the hard weather came: since which they have all disappeared.

Mr. Churton came from Oxford.

Planted 20 Scotch-firs round Benham’s orchard.

Dug up carrots, second crop.

Cut down the artichokes, & covered them; first with earth, & then with long dung.  Covered the asparagus with long dung.

Sweet weather.

Antirrhinum cymbalaria thrives still, & is in full bloom, & will so continue ’till severe frosts take place.  Planted several firs from S. Lambeth & several seedlings for the Helleborus foetidus.