Oct. 1. |
Wheat out at Buriton, Froxfield, Ropley, & other places. |
Oct. 2. |
Flying ants, male & female, usually swarm, & migrate on hot sunny days in August & September; but this day a vast emigration took place in my garden, & myriads came forth in appearance, from the drain which goes under the fruit-wall; filling the air & the adjoining trees & shrubs with their numbers. The females were full of eggs. This late swarming is probably owing to the backward, wet season. The day following, not one flying ant was to be seen. The males, it is supposed all perish: the females wander away; & such as escape from Hirundines get into the grass, & under stones, & tiles, & lay the foundation of future colonies. |
Oct. 3. |
Hirundines swarm around the Plestor, & up & down the street. |
Oct. 6. |
Many Hirundines: several very young swallows on the thatch of the cottage near the pound. The evening is uncommonly dark. |
Oct. 7. |
The crop of stoneless berberries is prodigious! Among the many sorts of people that are injured by this very wet summer, the peat-cutters are great sufferers: for they have not disposed of half the peat & turf which they have prepared; & the poor have lost their season for laying in their forest-fuel. The brick-burner can get no dry heath to burn his lime, & bricks: nor can I house my cleft wood, which lies drenched in wet. The brick-burner could never get his last makings of tiles & bricks dry enough for burning the autumn thro’; so they must be destroyed, & worked up again. He had paid duty for them; but is, as I understand, to be reimbursed. |
Oct. 9. |
Maser Hale houses barley that looks like old thatch. Much barley about the country, & some wheat. Some pheasants found in the manour. The sound of great guns was heard distinctly this day to the S. E. probably from Goodwood, where the Duke of Richmond has a detachment from the train of artillery encamped in his park, that he may try experiments with some of the ordnance. |
Oct. 11. |
Dr Chandler mows the church-litton closes for hay. Farmer Parsons houses pease, which have been hacked for weeks. Barley abroad. |
Oct. 12. |
Gathered in the dearling apples: fruit small, & stunted. |
Oct. 19. |
Made presents of berberries to several neighbours. Ring-ouzel seen in the Kings field. |
Oct. 23. |
Dr Bingham & family left Selborne. |
Oct. 26. |
Hired two old labourers to house my cleft billet wood, which is still in a damp, cold condition, & should have been under cover some months ago, had the weather permitted. |
Oct. 27. |
Some few grapes just eatable: a large crop. Housed all the billet wood. Leaves fall in showers. A curlew is heard loudly whistling on the hill towards the Wadden. On this day, Mrs S. Barker was brought to bed of a boy, who advances my nepotes to the round & compleat number of 60. |
Oct. 28. |
Thomas saw a polecat run across the garden. |
Oct. 29. |
Finished piling my wood: housed the bavins: fallows very wet. |
Oct. 30. |
Planted 100 of cabbages, in ground well dunged, to stand the winter. |
