336 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



promote the swelling of the fruit by keeping the bed moist 

 & warm. It is a practice much in use among Gardeners. 



April i. Sowed in the borders round the Garden 21 

 little basons of double upright larkspurs ; from an ounce 

 of London seed. 



Sowed a plot of stocks from seed of my own saving : 

 they came first from Ringmer. 



All my stocks were kill'd last winter. 



Sowed 18 more Cantaleupe-seeds : the last now come- 

 up pretty well. 



The Succades extend their fibres a second time without 

 their hills ; & have runners four or five inches long. 

 Delicate soft dry weather. The ground works well. 



April 2. Sowed a bed of Sweet- Williams. 



Earth'd Succades the second time. 



Beautiful soft grey weather. 



Sowed a few more Bentworth-Cantaleupes, & a few 

 Succades. 



Put a bottle of brandy at the time of tunning to the 

 raisin-wine ; & now an other to prevent it's working too 

 long. 



4. Planted several sorts of curious Asters, & Golden- 

 rods sent me by M r - Gibson in the borders, & field- 

 basons. 



Potted the first-sown Cantaleupes, ten good plants. 



5. Cut the first Cucumber, a good fruit, to carry to 

 London. The rest, several brace, are swelling-away ; but 

 are yet of no size. 1 



The Hyacinths are blowing-out apace. 



7. Sowed second crop of marrow-fats. 



8. Carted-in 17 loads of hot dung for the Cantaleupe- 

 bed. 



9. Made the Cantaleupe bed. 



1 During Gilbert White's absence from home, as happened on the present 

 occasion till the 2ist of April, his " Kalendar" must have been kept by some one 

 else, probably by his faithful servant Thomas. It is evident, however, that he 

 re- wrote the items on his return home, as the whole of the MS. of the " Kalendar " 

 for 1763 is in Gilbert White's handwriting. [R. B. S.] 



