A GARDEN KALENDAR 415 



the rest would have been better, had not the rains prevented 

 their being put-out for several weeks. 



Earthed-up all the Celeri. Some of it begins to pipe. 



Grey still weather with an high Glass. 



De<f- i. Dug-up the potatoes, a good Crop. 



4. A very hard frost with a little snow. 



Car : away the melon-bed. 



Sent two field-mice, a species very common in these 

 parts (tho' unknown to the zoologists) to Thomas Pennant 

 Esq. of Downing in Flintshire. They resemble much in 

 colour y e Mus domesticus medius of Ray ; but are smaller 

 than the Mus domesticus vulg : seu minor of the same 

 great Naturalist. They never enter houses ; are carryed 

 into ricks, & barns with y e sheaves ; abound in harvest ; 

 & build their nests, composed of the blades of corn, up 

 from the ground among the standing wheat ; & sometimes 

 in thistles. They breed as many as eight Young at 

 one time. 1 



Decem r - 6. Planted one golden-rennet, & six curious 

 sorts of Goose-berries from Armstrong. 



10. The nut-hatch, sitta, sive picus cinereus, chirps. 

 It runs about on trees, & hangs with it's back down- 

 ward like the titmouse. 



It builds in hollow trees, stopping-up great part of the 

 hole with clay, so as to leave barely room to go in & out. 

 There have been several nests in an hole in the yew-tree 

 in Selborne church-yard. Some of the clay remains still 

 at the top of the Crevice. 



15. Planted one Roman Nectarine, & one melting 

 peach from Armstrong. 



Decem r - 16. Mild, pleasant weather. 



Daiseys, Herb Robert, ragwort, hepaticas, primroses, 

 in bloom. Crocuss, & snow-drops spring. 



22. Strong frost after a long dry fit without any. 



24. Strong, bearing Ice, & a severe N.E. wind. 



Covered the Celeri, & put straw to the roots of the new 

 planted trees. 



1 See Letter XII to Pennant, of November 4, 1767 : antea, p. 45. [R. B. S.] 



