370 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



loud Claps of thunder. The farmers are much behind in 

 their season. 



18. Vast rains ; & nothing done in the Garden. 



The Cucum 15 - have got male-bloom. 



Sowed 12 more Succade seeds: those sowed last die 

 in the pots : the first sowing thrives, & has a rough leaf. 

 Turn'd the Succade-dung in the Yard : it was very hot. 



19. Farmer Parsons brought 60 bush : of tan from 

 Alton for the Cantaleupe-bed. Vast hail storms with some 

 thunder. 



21 : 22. Continual heavy showers. The floods are 

 much out. Cucum* 5 - thrive. 



March 23. The Cucum rs - are full of male-bloom. No 

 fruit shows yet. 



24 : 25. Vast showers. Gave the Cucum r - bed a lining 

 in front for the first time. Moss'd the bed. 



The Apricot-tree has two blossoms blown-out; which 

 seem to be the only promising ones it is likely to 

 have. 



Some Peach-blossoms are just ready to open. 



26. Made the succade-bed with the 8 loads of Dung 

 which has been brought-in ever since the eighth of this 

 month, & turn'd-once. As it seem'd to make but a shallow, 

 weak bed, I laid about twenty bushels of tan on it. 



A very great rain. The Country is in a sad, wet 

 Condition. 



27. One of the Cuc r - plants shews a fruit. A vast 

 storm from the west, which blow'd one of the melon- 

 lights quite off the frame against the espalier-plum-tree, 

 but without breaking any panes. The Cuc r - lights were 

 in danger of being blown-off, & were secured by heavy 

 slabs. 



28. Mowed the grass-plot the first time. A great rain. 

 The succades decay in their leaves thro' the dampness & 

 shadiness of the weather. 



March 29. i. Planted five fann'd Elmes to screen 

 Will : Carpenter's necessary House ; & five large Laurels 

 in a curve to screen my own, which I propose to move to 



