382 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



The Cantaleupe-bed by the trial-stick shews still a 

 considerable Heat : it is owing no doubt to the tan. 



Laurustines cast their old leaves. 



Aug. 5. Did a great stroke of Gardening after the 

 rain : sowed a quarter with turnep seed, & planted it with 

 savoys, the rows wide apart. Planted-out five more rows 

 of Celeri ; in all six long rows : & planted a plot of endives. 

 The endives seem to be planted too late to come to any 

 size ; & the Celeri & savoys probably will not be large. 

 The ground falls to pieces, & works as well as can be 

 expected. 



Gather'd the only & first Apricot the tree ever bore, it 

 was a fair fruit, but not the sort sent for ; being an Orange 

 & not a Breda. Scarce any of Murdoch Middleton's trees 

 turn-out the sorts sent-for. 1 



7. Dripping warm weather since the thunder-storm. 



8. The first Cantaleupe, growing on a faulty stem, was 

 not curious. Very showery weather. 



Cut the second Cantaleupe : it is cVack'd at the eye. 

 Great showers with distant thunder. 



M r - Yalden saw a single swift. Glow-worms appear'd 

 again pretty frequent ; but more in the Hedges, & bushes 

 than in June, when they were out on y e turf. 



9. Melons keep coming. Saw two swallows feeding 

 five Young ones that had just left their nest : they usually 

 bring them out the beginning of July. 



Aug. 9. Planted a double row of Polyanths all along 

 the great bank in the garden : they are all very small, being 

 much stunted by the dry weather. Planted also some slips 

 of the double Pheasant-ey'd pinks, which have very near 

 blowed themselves to death. 



Some hard rain, and distant thunder. 



10. A beautiful dry day. Many people are housing 

 their wheat. The dripping week past has done a world of 

 service. 



Planted a large plot with savoys, & sowed it with turnep 

 seed. The last-sown turneps come-up by hundreds. 



1 Once more a disappointment. [R. B. S.] 



