256 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



30 : 31. Raised & earthed up the melon-frames almost 

 their full quantity. Melon bed very warm still. Many of 

 the melon-plants very thriving ; abound in vine, & shew 

 male bloom, & fruit. 



Planted 100 of late Cabbages ; & pricked-out some 

 Broccoli plants given me by M r - Budd. Shady moist 

 weather for a week past : now frequent heavy showers 

 that have well soaked the Ground down to the roots of 

 Corn, & Garden-stuff. 



June 2. Sowed four rows of large white-Kidney-beans, 

 & one of dwarfs in y e field-Garden : five rows of Dwarf 

 D- in the Quincunx. 



3. Gathered first beans. 



5. Cut a brace of Cucumbers. Shady moist weather. 



6. Earth'd the hand-glass melons the first time : the 

 bed not earth'd all over yet. The plants are strong, & 

 produce plenty of wood ; but are strangely blistered in 

 their second leaves by being exposed to y e fierce sun while 

 the night-dew was on them. 



9. Mulberry-tree shews several Blossoms for the first 

 time. Fine summer-weather with now & then a shower. 

 French-beans that had been watered all night, & were 

 sown on the 2 d of June, began to appear on the 8 th . 



9. Raised the Cucumber-frames the thickness of a 

 brick above the mould : turned down y e large white- 

 Cucumbers from under the hand-glass ; they are strong 

 plants, & shew fruit. 



June 10. Went to raise the melon-frames, but found 

 the melon-roots have extended themselves all along against 

 the sides of the boxes, & require room by lining. 



Watered the Mulberry-tree well to make the fruit set. 



12. Gathered first Marrowfats. 



Soaking rain for ten Hours. 



13 : 14. Lined the melon-bed three feet on each side 

 with eleven loads of dung ; & laid-on a good depth of 

 earth : raised the frames to the top of the earth. Lined 

 the ends of the bed with one load of Dung : the bed is 

 now full 40 feet long, & 12 feet wide. Earth'd it deep as 



