THE DIARY OF WILLIAM SELLERS

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April 30^th. Weather still dry. On some farms no spring corn has been sown. Beef very dear. Big sheep cheaper. Mr Plewes of this village died suddenly on the 21^st of this month aged 71.
May 4^th. Finished drilling corn but have still an acre to sow on the hillside. 25^th. Sowing Swedes. Weather fine & dry.
Rain needed especially on strong land.
June 9^th. Finished sowing turnips. Weather fine & dry. Rain much needed.
June 10^th. Taken up some nice early potatoes.
This is the earliest date on which I remember taking up potatoes.
14^th. A straw stack burnt at Reighton Moor farm.
15^th. A large fire is burning at Hull. The smoke can be easily seen here with the eye. Land very dry. Rain much needed.
June 24^th. Started hoeing turnips, nice plants.
-//- 27^th. Sold the first fat lambs of the season £5. 2. 6 each.
Shearlings are down over two pounds per head since March.
July 3^rd. Found a large dead bird on the beach to day. It measured six feet across the wings & was white with the exception of the wings from the first joint outwards which was black. The legs were green with a blue streak down its toes. 9^th. Weather still very dry. Led the hay without cocking. Nearly all the ponds are dry. Picked garden peas today, this is three weeks earlier than usual.
26^th. We have had nice showers for two days. This has been the driest season for fifty years. Have been cleaning out Garends & Cow pasture ponds. Nearly all the ponds in the district are dry. A lot of turnips on strong land are either not sown or have not come up. Cutting corn has begun in the Driffield district.
Mr A Watson of Speeton cut corn in July.
Aug 4^th. Started harvest. Weather warm & unsettled. Heard of a village further South where there is a difficulty in procuring enough water to make tea.
26^th. Finished cutting corn. Just had a weeks fog.
One farmer who cut corn a month ago has not led any.