The Natural History of Selborne

Tremendous thunder, & vast hail yesterday at Bramshot, & Hedley with prodigious floods.  Vast damage done.  The hail lay knee-deep.  The shell-snail has hardly appeared at all this season on account of the long dry time.  Snails copulate about Midsumr; & soon after deposit their eggs in the mould by running their heads & bodies under ground.  Hence the way to be rid of them is to kill as many as possible before they begin to breed.  In six weeks after wheat is in ear, harvest usually begins; unless delayed by cold, wet, black weather.