266 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



30. Cucumber plants begin to appear. 



Feb. 3. Sowed a small Quantity of curious Polyanth- 

 seed, given me by M r - Hale of Hambleton, 1 in a box ; & 

 set y e box where it may receive the morning-sun. 



Sowed 20 more Cucumber-seeds in the frame. First 

 plants thrive, & look of a good Colour. Unusual sunny, 

 fine weather. 



Feb. 3. Cucumbers in y e pot by the fire -side come 

 up very well. 



5. Set in a nursery-bed a good parcel of Hyacinth, & 

 Tulip-ofsets. 



7. Finished trimming, & tacking the vines according 

 to Hit. Took away abundance of y e old wood : The vines 

 in one Year more will be quite furnished with new. 



Ashed the great mead, Clover-field, & part of the slip 

 with three dung-pots of ashes : quite cleared the House. 



Cucumber-plants thrive so fast, that to day the 12 day 

 from sowing the seeds, many of the plants have got a rough 

 leaf. Fine dry weather, with a good deal of Sunshine; 

 more like April, than old January. Paths quite firm. 



8:9: 10. Set-on three Labourers this fine weather to 

 dig all my Ground ready for Crops : turn'd my plot of 

 melon-earth the third time : & wheeled out of the way all 

 the old rotten dung, & tan. 



10. Sowed Gallon of early pease; & half pound of 

 spinage : planted Gallon of Winsor beans, & 200 of Cab- 

 bage plants. 



Feb. 9. Turned-out of their pots, & planted in deep 

 mould several of the best Cucumber plants : plants strong, 

 & thriving. 



Notwithstanding the long dry weather the Ground will 

 but just work decently. 



12. Carryed into the Hot -bed Ground eight loads 

 (dung-carts) of hot dung for the forward Cucumbers. 



-Perfect summer : the air full of Gnats : & the surface 

 of the Ground full of spiders webs, as in a fine day in 

 August. The sun lay so hot on the frame that the 



1 Hambledon, near Droxford. [H. M.] 



