348 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



bushels of malt dryed with Welch-coal ; & three pounds & 

 three quarters of good hops. 



The strong-beer was closely covered down with sacks, 

 while infusing in the mash-vat : & the yeast was beat into 

 the beer several times, 'till it was put into the barrel. Made 

 with the same malt Half an hogsh : of ale, & an Hogsh : of 

 small. The strong-beer was made entirely with rain-water. 

 Tunn'd the strong beer the third day. 1 



10. Made a bearing Cucumber-bed with between eight 

 & nine loads of good hot dung for two two-light frames. 



Vast rains, & high winds still. 



Sowed the great mead all over with about 30 bushels of 

 my own ashes; & the little mead with 12 bushels bought 

 of M r - Etty. 



13. Bottled-out half an Hogsh : of M re - Atherley's port- 

 wine. It had not, I think, quite so good a smell & flavour 

 as usuall ; & seem'd always to shew a disposition to mantle 

 in the glass. 



Feb : 17. Put the Hills of earth on the Cucum r - Bed : 

 the earth by means of the long wet season was not in 

 curious order. 



18. Planted the Cucumber-plants on their Hills. The 

 plants are grown to two Joints, & are stopped down. The 

 bed seems to be in good order. 



20. It has been now pretty dry ever since the fifteenth 

 day. There have not been so many dry days for some 

 months. The weather glass is very high, & the wind N : E. 



21. Sowed ten Succade-seeds in the Cuc r - bed. 



A very white-frost & bright sunshine. 



The snails after so mild a winter are very numerous, & 

 get into the bed & eat the plants. 



26. This is now the eleventh day of the dry weather : 

 the roads are finely dry'd. A strong North E : wind, & a 

 sinking Glass. 



1 Those of us who brew our own beer in these days use about I Ib. of hops to 

 a bushel of malt. In olden times the bitter flavour of beer was not appreciated 

 as it is now, and their strong beer used to be very sour and intoxicating. The old 

 farmers of fifty years ago used to be very proud of their strong beer. [H. M.] 



