398 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



21. A dry thaw with a N. wind, & high barometer. 

 There has been no rain now for seven or eight weeks. 

 The ponds are very low, & the wells sinking. The wind 

 has been remarkably still since it has been so dry. 



25. A gentle thaw still, with vast fogs, but no rain. 

 The ground that was so dusty, is now very dirty without 

 any fall. The soil is strangely puffed-up, & lightened. 

 Sowed a box of M r - Gibsons polyanth-seed : & five rows of 

 marrow-fat-pease in a very mellow, well-dunged quarter. 



Some of the Cucum r - plants keep dying for want of sun, 

 being rotted by the reek of the bed. 



28. The same still, dark, dry weather with the glass 

 higher than ever. 



Jan. 29. A vast white dew ; & fog in the day. 



The barometer is higher than ever. 



The Cucum"- hang their leaves, & want Sun. 



30. Sowed half the border under the melon-skreen 

 with lettuce, & radishes. All the stiff soil is taken-out of 

 that border, & laid-up to the frost to make melon-earth ; 

 & mould that has been in the frames is laid in it's place. 

 Very fierce frost, & partial fogs. 



Feb. i. A thaw : rain & wind with a sinking glass. 



The first rain for many weeks. 



3. Severe frost returns. 



8. Severe frost. 



10 : ii. Rain, soft weather, & a thoro' thaw. 



13 : 14 : 15. Continued Rains from the East, which 

 occasioned vast floods in some places. 



This fall was in several parts of the Kingdom a very 

 great snow; & in others a rain which froze as it fell, 

 loading the trees with ice to such a degree, that many 

 parks, & forests were miserably defaced, & mangled. A 

 strong E. wind contributed much to this damage. 



Feb. 1 8. Made a fruiting-bed for Cucum"- with 8 loads 

 of dung. 



19. Planted six rows of Winsor-beans. 



25. Planted the Cucum r - bed with plants that have two 

 joints, are stopp'd down, stocky, & well-coloured. 



