SO EMIGRATION* 55 



but little; cattle live hard; working oxen eat much corn ; 

 sheep done lambing ; heard the wolves howl last night in 

 the woods for the first time. 



May 13. A warm growing week; thermometer 65 this 

 morning, at noon 81. Vegetation grows fast, and the 

 woods begin to assume the livery of spring. Tne wind has 

 taken its fine weather summer courses, blowing off land at 

 nights, and off the lake at days, which tempers and purifies 

 the atmosphere. Sent 200 bushels of wheat to the &quot; still,&quot; 

 to have seven quarts of whisky per bushel for it ; three, to 

 three and a half gallons are made from a bushel of wheat, 

 corn, or rye. Potatoes and pumpkins can be distilled, but 

 are seldom used. 



May 20. A warm and dry week, except a thunder storm, 

 which cooled the air. Finished sowing oats, and been 

 ploughing for corn. There is little peach and apple blossom 

 this season, but other fruits set well ; and a bed of asparagus 

 in Colonel Talbot s garden is very good. The woods abound 

 with the notes of the well-known bird &quot; whip-poor-will,&quot; 

 and many others which, though not harmonious, are cheer 

 ful ; the muskitoes are numerous in and about the woods, 

 but none in the houses, or on the clearings. 



May 21 . Dry, warm weather; vegetation wants rain; 

 thermometer has varied from 60 to 75. Planted the corn ; 

 which is done thus : after ploughing and well harrowing the 

 ground, parallel furrows are rim by the plough three or four 

 feet asunder, straight across the field, and sometimes inter 

 sected ; when the planter, with a little bag of corn before 

 him, (something like bean-setters in England), and a hoe, 

 proceeds along these furrows, and drops, at from three, to 

 four feet apart, two, three, or four grains of the corn in one 

 place, and slightly covers them with the hoe ; some prefer 

 planting in the furrows, others between them, according to 

 the dryness of the soil, or the season. The quantity of seed 

 required is only about one peck per acre ; corn is sometimes 

 planted on the furrow (or sod, as it is here called) of new 

 ploughed grass land, and does very well. Washed the 

 sheep in the creek, and ploughed ground for potatoes. The 

 Colonel has been to the village of St. Thomas, to the Anni 

 versary Dinner held in honour of himself in establishing the 

 ** Talbot Settlement ;&quot; it is generally well attended by store 

 keepers, and people of various trades and callings, as well as 

 the more respectable farmers. Milk will now hardly keep 



