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plowing from the road to the woods back. — 4 other shocks of Rye at this place from another part of the field, yielded about the same quantity of clean grain that the first did, viz. five bushels from which their being 177 shocks in the field, it may be computed that not more than 220 or 225 will be obtained.

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On my return home I found Mr Calvert of Maryland and his son, Colo Bland, Mr Geo. Digges, Mr Foster & Lund Washington here all of whom dined - The 3 first stayed the evening the other three returned.

Thursday 20th

Mercury at 78 in the Morning 86 at noon and 80 at Night. Very warm all day, About 4 O'clock a cloud arose out of which proceeded a shower of rain after which it cleared, but towards Sundown it overcast and rained moderately for several hours.

Before the rain the Flax in the Neck was thrown into shocks as was part of the oats, another part was set on end (as much as could be of it) and the third part was caught on the ground in the Sheaf by the rain.

Finished cutting the meadows in the neck, this afternoon; & had begun to plow the ground designed for Turnips there, but the rain put a stop to it, the plows then went into the Corn adjoining thereto in the cut next the Barn.

Mr. Calvert & Son was prevented recrossing the river this Afternoon by the rain.

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Mercury at 76 in the Morning 80 at noon- and 80 at night. A little Cloudy in the Morning but clear afterwards and not so warm as it had been.

Mr. Calvert and Son went away very early in the Morning. After breakfast Col° Bland and Myself road to My plantations at Muddy hole and in the neck, at the first found the grd was too wet for Plowing, and that 4 other shocks of Rye from another part of the field had been threshed which yielded rather better than 71⁄2 bushels of clean grain.

At the other I examined the shocks of Flax wch seemed to be tolerably dry, and in good order, but I directed the Overseer to keep an attentive watch upon them, and the oats, & open & dry them if they appeared to need it, and to get both as soon as he could to the Barn.

Having finished Cutting the meadows in the neck, the farmer & two or three hands remained there to make the Hay, whilst six cutters came over & cut down the Orchard grass at the House which had been stripped of the head (for the seed) on or about the first instant. It may be re

marked of this Grass and it adds to the value of it that it does not turn brown at the bottom after it heads, nor does the stubble appear dry, when it is cut, as that of Timothy. Consequently the after math is more valuable, and the second growth quicker. Whether this effect is natural to the grass, or has been produced by having had the seed taken from it is not altogether certain, but, the first is much more probable, because Timothy would, before it should have approached the same state of maturity, have been quite brown and rusty at bottom, which was not the case with the Orchd grass when the seed was taken from it, nor at any time since and is an evidence that it will wait longer after it is fit for the Scythe than Timothy without injury. It also appeared by some that had been mixed, and grown near to the clover wch was cut about the 7th or 8th of June that it vegetates much quicker after cutting, than Timothy does.

Saturday - 22a

Mercury at 74 in the Morning 82 at noon and 80 at night. Clear all day with the wind at South but not very fresh.

An overseer of mine (at the ferry) informed me that the chintz bug was discovered in his corn and that he apprehended if the weather should turn dry, they would encrease and destroy it, he also informed me that the fly was discovered about the shocks of wheat in his field. At home all day with Col° Bland.

Sunday - 234

Mercury at 74 in the Morning 80 at noon and 80 at night. Clear and pleasant until about 4 O'clock when the wind which had been pretty fresh from the So West died away and it turned warm.

Mr Powell, Mr Porter, and Miss Ramsay & Miss Craik came here to breakfast (from Alexa) and returned again after dinner.

Monday-24th

Mercury at 70 in the Morning 80 at noon and 77 at Night. Wind at No West and day very pleasant.

After breakfast I accompanied Colo Bland to Mr. Lund Washingtons where he entered the stage on his return home. Rid from hence to the Plantations, at Dogue run & Muddy hole, at the first I found that the plows had finished the alternate rows of drilled corn on Saturday afternoon, & were then plowing the intermediate rows which had been passed Examined the low and sickly looking corn in several parts of

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this field, and discovered more or less of the Chinch bug on every stalk between the lower blades & it. It is highly probable that the unpromising appearance of most of my corn & which I had been puzled to acct for and ascribing it to other causes may have proceeded from this, and that the calamity, especially, if a drought should follow, will be distressing to a great degree. The Hoes at this plantation will tomorrow have finished the cut they had begun on the West side the field, & would go into the one adjoining.

Muddy hole People were engaged in getting their wheat into shocks, at the barn, and threshing out what Rye they had put into the Barn which amounted to 12 shocks, & yielded 18 Bushels of Clean grain. On return home found Col° Humphreys 1 here

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and soon after a Capt Cannon came in with a letter from Col° Marshall, from Kentucke.

Tuesday — 25th

Mercury at 66 in the morning 81 at noon and 80 at night. Clear and pleasant all day, wind being northerly & Easterly.

After breakfast I rid round all my plantations, found my corn in the neck as much infested by the Chinch bug as I had perceived that to be at Dogue run yesterday. The rows of corn which were intermixed with Irish Potatoes, along the fence wch divides the wheatfield (or stubble) from it were perceived to be much better, and more uniform than than any other part of the field, but whether it has been occasioned by dunging it or otherwise I could get no distinct acct some of the negros ascribed it to this cause & it is more probable than that the Potatoes should have been the cause of it. Sowed about five acres of Turnips in brd cast, in the neck in that ground which originally was prepared for the Saint foin & other seeds, these seeds were sowed after a plowing which the ground had just received, and were harrowed in with a heavy harrow, which raked the grass very much into heaps (the ground) tho' frequently plowed before, having got very grassy). Two hands at this place began yesterday to cut the drilled oats which they would abt accomplish tomorrow. This oats (24 rows) I ordered to be secured and threshed by itself. 5 plows only, were at work here, the waggon & two 64 carts being employed in getting in the grain, all hands except those at plow were engaged in this business, in stacking the Wheat, and threshing of Rye. At Muddy hole, except the three people at the plows, and

1 David Humphreys (1752-1818).

2 Thomas Marshall (1730-1802), father of Chief-Justice John Marshall.

those employed in drawing in & stacking the Wheat at the Barn all hands had begun to weed the drilled corn and the Plants between the rows - The oats at this place had been cut two or 3 days, & the wheat would be all drawn in & stacked today.

The Dogue run people did not finish the cut they were in yesterday till noon this day, when they entered the one adjoining.

The Ferry People wd nearly get the wheat at that Plantation into stack today.

Doct' Craik was sent for to visit Carpenter, James & Cowper Jack he also prescribed for a child Nat, over the Creek who was brought here.

Wednesday - 26th

Mercury at 70 in the Morning at noon 80. — And 80 at night. Calm, clear & pleasant all day.

Mr Herbert, Col° Ramsay, Col° Allison and Mr Hunter dined here and returned in the afternoon.

One Edwd Moystan who, formerly lived with Mr Robt Morris as a Steward, & now keeps the city Tavern in Philadelphia came here to consult me on the propriety of his taking the coffee H° in Alexandria, i. e. on the prospect of its answering his purpose for keeping Tavern.

Having fixed a roller to the tale of my drill plow, and a bush harrow between it & the barrel I sent it by G. A. Washington to Muddy hole and had the intervals betw" the Corn which had been left for the purpose, sowed with Turnips in drills and with which it was done very well.

Thursday 27th

Mercury at 74 in the Morning 84 at noon and 80 at night. Clear in the forenoon and pretty warm. Cloudy after wards with great appearances of a settled rain, little of which fell, what did was chiefly light and more a mist making little impression on the earth.

Rid to Muddy hole, Dogue run, & Ferry Plantations, and to the Mill. Found the wheat all got in and stacked at the first & last mentioned places, and that the Plows had finished plowing the drilled corn on Thursday evening last and were plowing the cut on the Hill, the rest of the hands at this place, & cart were employed in getting in Rye. The drilled oats between the corn at Muddy hole, being threshed & cleaned, measured 18. bush1

In the evening Mr Tho" Fairfax (son of Bryan Fairfax Esq' now Parson) came in and stayed all night.

Friday-28th

Mercury at 75 in the Morning 74 at noon and 72 at night. Day very lowering & some times light rains or mists but not to wet the ground. Wind at N° Et

Mr Fairfax went away after Breakfast.

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Mercury at 68 in the Morning 74 at Noon. and 71 at night.

Wind Northwardly and pleasant. The Morning cloudy, but clear, about noon, and a little warm. Accompanied by Col° Humphrys I rid to Muddy hole, & Neck Plantations. - The Drilled Oats at the latter between the corn being threshed out & cleaned, measured 54 B. There being 24 rows of these each (allowing for the divisions between the cut & the bouting rows at the ends) about 1075 yards long amounts to 25,800 yards running measure, or 160 yds 19 which is better than 54 acres, the quantity to the acre therefore, cannot exceed 10 Bushels, which is less it is presumed than the same kind of land would have produced in broad cast, it is to be remarked however that the abundant wet which had fallen from the middle of May, or thereabouts, till Harvest had in most of the low places destroyed the grain either wholly, or in part by which the quantity growing was reduced but this would also have happened in any square piece of ground as there is scarce any that is not subject to the same accident.

Sunday 30th

Mercury at 67 in the Morning 78 at noon and 70 at night. Morning a little cloudy, the day upon the whole cool & pleasant with the wind at East.

Monday- 31st

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Mercury at 67 in the Morning 73 at noon, and 70 at night. Morning lowering, with small sprinklings of rain but too light to wet anything. about one o'clock it cleared, wind pretty fresh from the No. East & clear afterwards.

Mr Will Craik who came here to dinner, afterwards went away for Alexandria on his journey to Hampshire.

Accompanied by Col° Humphreys rid to the plantations at the Ferry and Dogue run, at the first the plowing of the cut upon the hill was finished and the plows in the drilled corn by the fish house, the Hoes were at work in the other Drilled corn. At Dogue run the Hoes had just

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