The Natural History of Selborne

Boys bring the 26th wasp’s nest.  Mens second crop of clover cut, & spoiled by the rains.  A bad prospect with respect to winter fodder!  Farmer Spencer sows some wheat-stubbles with rye for spring feed.

Mr S. Barker came. Planted a Parnassia, which he brought out of Rutland in full bloom, in a bog at the bottom of Sparrow’s hanger.

Stormy wind, which broke-down great part of my Orleans plum-tree, & blew-down Molly White’s horse-chest-nut, & did vast damage to the hop-gardens, which are torn, & shattered in a sad manner!  This storm was very extensive, being very violent at the same time at Lyndon, in Rutland.  Much mischief was done at London, & at Portsmouth, & in Kent; at Brightelmstone also, & in Devonshire.

Boys bring the 25th wasp’s nest.

Dogs eat the goose-berries when they become ripe; & now they devour the plums as they fall; last year they tore the apricots off the trees.

The kings field is open to the down.  No mushrooms to be found with us: the case was the same last year.

John Hale, & Farmer Spencer begin to pick hops.

Boys bring the 22nd, 23,rd, & 24th wasps nest.  Many wasps at the plum-trees.

The dripping season has, this day, lasted six weeks; it has done some harm to the wheat, & retarded wheat-harvest; but has been of infinite service to the grass, & turnips, &c.

Martin’s & swallows congregate by hundreds on the church & tower.  These birds never cluster in this manner, but on sunny days.  They are chiefly the first broods, rejected by their dams, who are busyed with a second family.