A GARDEN KALENDAR 379 



The drought has lasted 10 weeks last Thursday. 



The peaches, and Nect : have cast most of their fruit. 



July 8. A gentle rain most part of the day : & in the 

 evening a great shower for about half an Hour that 

 moistened things well. The cart way ran with water, 

 which is more than it has done before since the 25 th of 

 April. This rain did not reach Faringdon or Empshot ; 

 so that it was of small extent. 



9. Planted-out a bed of leeks ; and sowed a little spot 

 with Batavian-Endive ; & a quarter with turneps. 



IQ. Finished stopping-down, & tacking the vines. 



The Grapes on M rs - Snooke's tree as big as small pease. 

 Harsh drying winds. The garden quarters not moistened 

 enough to plant. Dug-up the Hyacinth-roots, which seem 

 very moist considering the very dry time. 



12. Tiled 8 of the forwardest Succades. Hot dry 

 weather, with cold dews at Night. My Cherries are now 

 in high perfection. Large showers about yesterday ; but 

 a few drops only fell here. Some of the Cantaleupes swell 

 very fast. It appears by the trial sticks that the bed has 

 now as good a ground heat as most beds when made only 

 five or six weeks; this must be owing to the lasting heat 

 of tan. The Swallows & martins are bringing-out their 

 young. Young partridges that were flyers seen. 



July 13. Farmer Knight, having plowed Bakers Hill 

 twice before, stirr'd it across to-day. The weeds are all 

 kill'd, & the soil is baked as hard as a stone ; & is as rough 

 as the sea in an hard Gale : the Clods stand on end as high 

 as one's knees. 



14. Saw Pheasants that were flyers. 



16. A good rain for about three Hours. A great rain 

 at Haslemere, where I was then. Several fern-owls or 

 Goat-suckers flying about in the evening at Black-down 

 House. 



18. Cut the first Succade-melon, a very delicate one ; & 

 deeply crack'd at the Eye : it had not one drop of moisture 

 in it. Dry hot weather ever since the rain. 



19. Rains about, but none here. Hot ripening weather. 



