A GARDEN KALENDAR 267 



Cucumber-plants wanted to be shaded. Some plants have 

 a broad rough leaf. 



13. Made the bank against the new-garden pretty fine 

 & smooth by the advantage of this fine weather. Planted 

 it with flowers in two rows : the upper row was Colum- 

 bines. French-honeysuckles, & rose Campions, at a Yard 

 apart : the lower row all sweet- Williams, at a foot apart. 

 Ordered the bank to be well beat, & the water-table to be 

 cut so deep, that no mould can tumble on the brick walk. 

 The bank lays very handsome, on a hanging level. 



Feb. 15. Cucumber - plants thrive strangely. Some 

 have got a fourth leaf quite expanded ; & their first rough 

 leaf as broad as a Crown-piece. No rain at all since this 

 day month. Great fogs for these two days past, that hang 

 'till the afternoon : then bright sun-shine. Planted Holy- 

 oaks in the new border under the rod-hedge down Baker's 

 hill ; & mended-out the borders in our own, & the Butcher's 

 Yard. 



17. Received from M r - Philip Miller of Chelsea about 

 80 Mellon-seeds 1754 : immediately from Armenia ; which 

 he finds to be better than those that have been first brought 

 to Cantaleupe, & thence to England. 1 



20. Made my early Cucumber bed with 8 loads of 

 dung ; & cased it round well with a Coat of refuse hay, 

 well sparred-on. 



Feb. 20. Black, rough, March-like weather : seems to 

 threaten snow. 



22. Laid-on the hills of earth on the Cucumber-bed. 

 Now rain after many weeks dry weather. 



23. Turned-out two pots of Cucumbers in one of the 

 two-light frames : the Plants have got a fifth leaf, & a joint : 

 the two first rough leaves are as broad as the palm of my 

 Hand. This day month the seeds were put into the frame. 

 Plunged 14 pots for Cantaleupes in the two two-light 

 frames. 



24. Sowed six of the pots with Cantaleupe-seed from 



1 See Bell's ed., vol. ii. p. 347, where a letter from Miller to Gilbert White 

 is reproduced. 



