Aug. 28. |
Men make wheat-ricks. Mr Hale’s rick fell. Vivid rain-bow. |
Aug. 29. |
Mr Clement begins to pick hops at Alton. Clavaria [club fungi] appear on the hanger. |
Aug. 31. |
Many moor-hens on Comb-wood pond. |
Sept. 1. |
Grass grows on the walks very fast. Garden beans at an end. [ . . .] |
Sept. 4. |
Hop-picking becomes general; & the women leave their gleaning in the wheat-stubbles. Wheat grows as it stands in the shocks. |
Sept. 6. |
[ . . .]The flying ants of the small black sort are in great agitation on the zigzag, & are leaving their nests. This business used to be carryed on in August in a warm summer. While these emigrations take place, the Hirundines fare deliciously on the female ants full of eggs. Hop-picking becomes general; & all the kilns, or as they are called in some counties, oasts, are in use. Hops dry brown, & are pretty much subject this year to vinny, or mould. |
Sept. 8. |
Sowed thirteen rods, on the twelfth part of an acre of grass ground in my own upper Ewel close with 50 pounds weight of Gypsum; also thirteen rods in Do with 50 pounds weight of lime: thirteen rods more in Do with 50 pounds weight of wood & peat-ashes: and four rods more on Do with peat-dust. All these sorts of manures were sown by Bror T. W. on very indifferent grass in the way of experiment. |
Sept. 9. |
As most of the second brood of Hirundines are now out, the young on fine days congregate in considerable numbers on the church & tower: & it is remarkable that tho’ the generality sit on the battlements & roof, yet many bang or cling for some time by their claws against the surface of the walls in a manner not practised at any other time of their remaining with us. By far the greater number of these amusing birds are house-martins, not swallows, which congregate more on trees. A writer in the Gent. Mag. supposes that the chilly mornings & evenings, at this decline of the year, begin to influence the feelings of the young broods; & that they cluster thus in the hot sunshine to prevent their blood from being benumbed, & themselves from being reduced to a state of untimely torpidity. |
Sept. 11. |
On this day my niece Anne Woods was married to Mr John Hounsom, who encreases my nephews, & nieces to the number of 59. Mr John White came from Salisbury. |
Sept. 12. |
Began to light fires in the parlour. J. W. left us. |
Sept. 13. |
The stream at Gracious street, which fails every dry summer, has run briskly all this year; & seems now to be equal to the current from Wellhead. The rocky channel up the hollow-lane towards Rood has also run with water for months: nor has my great water-tub been dry the summer through. |
Sept. 14. |
From London three gallons of French brandy, & two gallons of Jamaica rum. |
Sept. 15. |
Hop women complain of the cold. |
