CLIMATE, SEASONS, ETC. 



1817. 



June 19. Fine day. But, now comes my alarm ! The 

 musquitoes, and, still worse, the common house-fly, 

 which used to plague us so in Pennsylvania, and 

 which were the only things I ever disliked belonging 

 to the climate of America. Musquitoes are bred in 

 stagnant water, of which here is none. Flies*: are 

 bred in filth, of which none shall be near me as long 

 as I can use a shovel and a broom. They will follow 

 fresh meat and fish. Have neither, or be very care 

 ful. I have this day put all these precautions in 

 practice ; and, now let us see the result. 



20. Fine day. Carrots and parsnips, sozvn on the ^rd 

 and 4th instant, all up, and in rough leaf I Onions 

 up. The whole garden green in 18 days from the 

 sowing. 



21. Very hot. Thunder and heavy rain at night. 



22. Fine day. May-duke cherries ripe. 



23. Hot and close. Distant thunder. 



24. Fine day. 



25. Fine day. White-heart and black-heart cherries 

 getting ripe. 



26. Rain. Planted out cucumbers and melons. I find 



I am rather late. 



27. Fine day. 



28. Fine day. Gathered cherries for drying for winter 

 use. 



29. Fine day. 



30. Rain all night. People are planting out their cab 

 bages for the winter crop. 



July i. Fine day. Bought 20 bushels of English salt for 

 half a dollar a bushel. 



2. Fine day. 



3. Fine day. 



4. Fine day. Carrots, sown 3rd June, 3 inches high. 



5. Very hot day. No flies yet. 



6. Fine hot day. Currants ripe. Oats in haw. Rye 

 nearly ripe. Indian corn two feet high. Hay 

 making nearly done. 



7. Rain and thunder early in the morning. 



8. Fine hot day. Wear no waistcoat now, except in 

 the morning and evening. 



9. Fine hot day. Apples to make puddings and pies ; 

 but our housekeeper does not know how to make an 

 apple-pudding. She puts the pieces of apple 

 amongst the batter ! She has not read Peter Pindar. 



10. Fine hot day. I work in the land morning and 

 evening, and write in the day in a north room. The 

 dress is now become a very convenient, or, rather, a 

 8 



