FEBRUARY MEETING, 1914

A STATED MEETING of the Society was held at the house

of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, No. 28 Newbury Street, Boston, on Thursday, 26 February, 1914, at three o'clock in the afternoon, the President, HENRY LEFAVOUR, LL.D., in the chair.

The Records of the last Stated Meeting were read and approved.

The CORRESPONDING SECRETARY reported that letters had been received from Mr. CHARLES HALL GRANDGENT and Mr. FRANKLIN PIERCE RICE accepting Resident Membership.

The PRESIDENT announced the death of LoUIS CABOT, a Resident Member, on the 9th of February, and of the Hon. JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN, a Corresponding Member, on the 24th of February.

The PRESIDENT spoke of a plan now on foot to erect in Boston a statue of Anne Hutchinson.

Mr. WORTHINGTON C. FORD communicated a Diary kept by Washington at Mt. Vernon during the months of May, June, and July, 1786.1

1 This Diary is in continuation of two Diaries one extending from September 27 to December 31, 1785, the other extending from January 1 to April 30, 1786-communicated by Mr. Ford in February, 1901, and March, 1902 (Publications, vii. 127-181, 341-398).

Rid to the Fishing landing and to the Plantation, at the Ferry, Dogue run, and Muddy hole, perceived the Siberian Wheat at the two first had come up thinly which I attributed partly to bad seed and partly to two thin sowing as the oats and Barley at all three were also too thin, and where the ground had been wet and hard baked none appeared. Set them to drilling the common corn at Muddy hole, and to sewing clover seed in the neck on the oats. the ground for which was'in bad order; being so hard baked that the roller could make no impression on it. this business has been unreasonably delayed, partly from the late arrival of the seed from Phila & partly from neglect & unfavourable weather after it did arrive.

But indifferent luck in fishing to day.

Planted, or rather transplanted from the Box sent me by Col° W" Washington S° Carolina 6 of the Sweet scented, or aromatic shrubs in my shrubberies, on each side the serpentine walks on this (on the east) side of the Garden gate the rest of these shrubs I suffered to remain in the Box as they were beginning to shoot forth buds & it might be too late to remove them. Wind at No West.

Tuesday-2

Thermometer at 60 in the Morning 69 at noon - and 62 at night.

Wind Easterly but not very fresh clear and pleasant. - rid by Muddy hole plantation into the neck—at the first finished drilling the common corn, and ordered the plow to be sent to Dogue run. At the latter I began to Drill the common corn in the furthermost cut

next the river opposite to Mr. Digges's- & continued the sowing of clover, therecould perceive no vegitation in the Burnet; Saint foin, or other grass which had been sown at this place.

Planted Pumpions at Morris near the old Houses in which Mrs Wade lived; in a light Sandy soil 10 feet apart.

Began to harrow the ground at Morris's, that is Dogue run planta

1 For a sketch of Col. William Washington (1752-1810), see Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography, vi. 384. In an earlier volume of our Publications (vii. 271 note 1) it was wrongly stated that he was "probably" William Augustine Washington, son of Washington's half-brother Augustine Washington.

tion in which the bad clover seed was sown last fall in order to sprinkle Timothy seed on it.

Planted 140 seed sent me by Col° Wm Washington and said by him to be the seed of the large Magnolia or Laurel of Carolina in boxes N° 4-5 & 6 near the green house.

1

Also 21 of the Illinois nuts; 1 compleating at the N° end, the piece of a row in My Botanical Garden in which on the of

I put Glouces

ter hiccory nuts.

Wednesday-gd

Thermometer at 60 in the morning 67 at noon- and 62 at night. Calm and clear in the Morning - about noon the wind sprung up from the Southward and towds night veered round to the eastwd and turned cool Midday warm. .

Rid to Muddy hole, Dogue run and Ferry plantations fishing landing.

Also to the

At the 1st hoed up the sunken & cold places in which Barley had been sowed and was rotten in order to resow them.

At the next I had the ground which was harrowed yesterday & cross harrowing to day sowed with seeds from my Hay loft. Which I directed to be again harrowed, to cover the seed and more effectually loosen the earth. Also began to drill Peas at this - the large sort, next the Barley. Caught a good Many Fish yesterday, not many today.

Planted two rows of the everlasting Peas in my botanical Garden, in the section which contained the guinea grass that would not stand the winter. Also 2 rows of the acorn of the live & water oak in the same garden, adjoining the row which has the Hiccory & Illinois nuts. And in box No. 9 in the garden by the Green House was put a pestatia nut given to me by Col° Mead.2

Perceived the seeds of the Honey locust to be coming up, irregularly - whether owing to their being shallowest planted - hardness of ground or wet I cannot say. Also observed the clover & orchard grass seed which had been sowed under the Pines in the pine grove for an experiment, was coming up pretty thick.

Thursday - 4th

Thermometer at 58 in the morning 68 at noon - and 63 at night. Clear and pleasant with but little wind, and that easterly. Towards 1 Pecan nuts. Writing to Francis Hopkinson on December 12, 1786, Jefferson said: "The paccan-nut is, as you conjecture, the Illinois nut" (Writings, 1853, ii. 74).

Col. Richard Kidder Meade.

evening it began to lower a little, and at night a circle appeared round the moon.

Doct' Craik came here in the forenoon, & crossed the river. After Dinner on his return home, at weh time I set out for Abingdon in order (to morrow) to survey My 4 miles run Tract, on which I had cause to apprehend trespasses had been committed.

Sent Majr Washington 1 to Town on Business when he and Mr. Lund Washington engaged to Mr Watson 100. Barr1s of My Flour to be delivered next week at 32/9 p Barr1

Not many fish caught to day at the Ferry.

Made good the missing Barley at Muddy hole.

Friday 5th

and 63 at night.

Thermometer at 62 in the morning 67 at noon The Morning mild and agreeable, as indeed it was through the day till towards evening, when it began to lower pretty mucha large & distinct circle round the Sun before noon & lasted a gd while.

Set out early from Abingdon, and beginning at the upper corner of my Land (or 4 miles run) a little below an old Mill; I ran the Tract agreeably to the courses & distances, of a Plat made thereof by John Hough, in the year 1766 (Nov1) in presence of Col° Carlyle & Mr James Mercer. Not have Hough's field Notes, & no corner trees being noted in His Plot, I did not attempt to look for lines; but allowing one degree for the variation of compass since the survey, above mentioned was made, I run the courses and distances only; & was unable for want of time to do more than run the lines that brot me to the run again, the meanders of wch must be run at some other time in order to ascertain with precision the quantity of land which is contained. Upon the whole I found this tract fully equal to my expectations. The whole of it is well wooded, some part is pretty well timbered; and generally speaking, it is level. About the main road, or the South side of the tract, Trespasses (on the wood) had been made but one degree less, than I expected to find. and as I run the lines as set done by Hough, with the variation; I run into the fields lately Col° Carlyles (now Whitings) so far as to cut off 12 or 15 acres of his inclosures, and made the plat close very well to the run.

Returned at night to Abingdon, being attended in the labours of the day, by Doct' Stuart.

1 George Augustine Washington, son of Washington's brother, Charles Washington.

Saturday — 6th

Thermometer at 52 in the Morno 58 at noon

and 56 at night

A fresh wind all night at N° Et Morning and forenoon very cloudy, with a mizzling rain, but not enough to wet the ground-wind from the same q' or a little more northerly, continuing all day, which made it cool and disagreeable.

After an early breakfast I set out on my return home, & taking Muddy hole in my way, returned about 10 O'clock.

Found that all the large (Indian) Peas I had, had been sown with the drill plow yesterday, at Dogue run whh only compleated 8 rows after which they proceeded to sow the small black eyed peas & finished with y m

That the drill plow in the neck had finished planting the common corn in the cut in which it had first begun and was proceeding in the end adjoining, and that the Muddy hole people had just begun to Hoe the new ground (for corn) in front of the Home House.

That the Ferry Plantation had begun to Plant corn, in the common mode, for want of the drill plow, which was otherwise engaged. And that an indifferent hd had been made of catching Fish since Wednesday last.

Sunday - 7th

Thermometer at 56 in the Morno 67 at noon and 66 at night.

Clear with the wind fresh but not cold, from the n° west, all day Towards night it died away & inclined to the southward more, Mr Porter, Mr Murray, (Young) Mr Bowen, and a Captain Aitkins came (by invitation) to dine with us to day, and returned to Alexandria in the evening. just as we were about to set down to Dinner Doct" Craik, his wife, son William, and Daughters (Miss Craik & Miss Nancy) came in Dined & stayed all night.

Thermometer at 60 in the Morning 70 at noon and 68 at night.
Clear, Calm & warm.

Rid to Muddy hole & Dogue run began at the first to cross the lists in order to Plant corn the early corn & Indian Pease at this place were coming up. Sent a carpenter to put a new axle & do some other repairs to the Barrel plow at Dogue run.

Sowed 3 rows of the Border grass seeds in the inclosure behind the stables, adjoining to, and just below the Cape wheat & next the fence –