380 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



The dry fit has lasted 12 weeks yesterday. The wheat turns 

 colour very fast. Added some earth to the melon-bed, 

 where the lining was crack'd away from the main bed. 



20. Gather'd a good quantity of Burnet-seed from my 

 plants. This plant sheds it's seed as soon as ripe ; & there- 

 fore whenever it becomes a field plant, it must be cut as 

 soon as it shews any tendency to ripeness. 



The melon-bed has still a moderate Heat. 



Some shoots of the Laurustine are blowing, others 

 budded for bloom. 



July 21. The Glow-worms no longer shine on the 

 Common : in June they were very frequent. I once saw 

 them twinkle in the South hams of Devon as late as the 

 middle of Septem r - 



The Redbreast just essays to sing. 



Dry dark weather with an high glass. The garden 

 dry'd-up as hard as a stone : the Crops come to nothing ; 

 & no opportunity of planting out the Autumn, & winter 

 Crops. Cherries still very fine. 



The haulm of the Cantaleupes (notwithstanding the 

 continual drought) shews some disposition for rotting : in 

 many parts it splits longitudinally, & heals up again. There 

 will be a very fine Crop of Succades. 



23. Cut the second Succade, a small one. The field- 

 crickets cry yet faintly. Hot dry weather still. No rain 

 coming we were forced to put-out more Annuals in the 

 dusty border ; to shade 'em well, & to give them a vast 

 quantity of water. The garden looks quite destitute of 

 crops : no turneps will come-up ; no Celeri can be trench'd, 

 nor endives, nor Savoys planted-out. The ponds in most 

 parishes are quite dry'd-up. 



July 24. Succades come apace. 



25. Some people have hack'd pease. Two most sultry 

 days. Succades come by Heaps. The wells in the street 

 begin to fail. Turn'd all the large Cantaleupes. 



This day the dry weather has lasted just 13 weeks. 



Some of the Succades crack very deeply at the eye : 

 those are always delicate. 



