The Natural History of Selborne

Mr & Mrs Barker, & Miss Eliz. Barker rode to Blackdown to see the prospect, & returned by 3 o’clock: they set out at six in the morning.

Rhus Cotinus, sive Coccygria blows; it’s blossom is very minute, & stands on the extremities of it’s filiform bracteols, which have sort of feather-like appearance that gives the shrub a singular, & beautiful grace.  This tree does not ripen it’s berries with us.  Is a native of Lombardy, & to be found at the foot of the Apennine, & in Carniola.

Mrs Brown brought to bed of a daughter, who makes the number of my nephews & nieces 54.  Forest-fuel brought in. Beechen fuel brought in.  Wood straw-berries are over.

Sedum Telephim, orpine, & Hypericum Androsaemum, tutsan, growing in Emshot lane leading to Hawkey mill.

Wheat reaped at Ropley.  Ripening weather.  Ant-flies begin to come forth on their business of emigration.

The goose-berries are bent to the ground with loads of fruit.

Strong wind in the night which has injured the hops; & particularly farmer Spencer’s in Culver croft.  Trenched out several rows of celeri; but the plants are of a red ugly colour, & seem not to be of a good sort.  The seed came from the gardener at Alton.

Louring, vast rain, blowing.  This rain was very great at Malpas, in Chesire.

John Hale brings home a waggon-load of woollen-rags, which are to be strewed on this hop-grounds in the spring, & dug in as manure.  These rags weighed at ton weight & cost brought home near six pounds.  They came from Gosport.

Marrow-fat pease come in.