Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 8

1850 March 22nd cloudy & like for Rain

-23rd coltering in new ground & cleaning up began to take down Tobacco in new Barn but broke off so cold Hung it up again prizing out of prize Barn Hh^d nearly full — Turned out Hh^d Lugs a few days ago —

24 clear & cold cloudy in evening

25 Coltering cleaning up David neal Riving Boards Sewing oats etc -

26 Raking coltering & Plowing — Loaded waggon for Lynchg this evening —

27 Starting to Lynchg & Rob^tMcCullock failed to meet my waggon at Capt Clements & I went on myself Logan Pulled elegant commenced snowing & Hailing & continued all day & that night we got to Lynchg

28 snow about 5 Inches Deep went on & got to Lynchg that night

29 Sold Lugs for 6.60 & Returned back to Lynches that night

30 got Home soon in evening they have been fencing & at work in new ground all they could

31 Snow all gone & a fine ^{family all stayed at home} day my

Aprl 1st 1st Holliday my wife went to Mrs McCullocks, Mrs Hunt & family had pretty weather —

2nd Crossing in first ½ year new ground & expect^{to dayto begin to Hill} Plowing for corn

3 Rained nearly all day Hard have not ^{begun to Hall yet} Sent Jordan to mill got very wet. shelled corn cleaned out stables in part Fed made Catharine S shoes, prizing Tobacco —

4 cleared off last night forkin[g] up manure this morning Turned out Hh^d good tobacco. Halling Rails & wood to day, Jordan to mill my wife gone to Mrs Colemans very wiⁿdy to day I went to Mrs McCullocks

1850 April 5th Crossing in new ground to day Plowing for corn began to Hill cloudy & like for falling weather

6 Rained stop us yesterday morning & it Rained hard all day nearly. shoemaking for F.W. & mending making Basket spining & shelling corn quite cool Raining again this morning & same sort^{work as yesterday}

7th My wife & myself went to Mrs Hunts & Mrs Colemans Tolerable good day quite cool

8th Fencing this morning Picking ^PotatoesSweet Sent Henry to mill 10 Bus. corn & about 2 Bushels wheat & to bring back Our Plank Wrote to Mrs Mary P McCullock sent letter by him

9th Planted Sweet Potatoes on Hill yesterday also snaps & corn. Plowing for corn coltering in new ground, Fencing in ^morning Coltering & Plowing this morning — scattering Plaster on clover lot by Lilas House, put on some in march & balance now Expect to Hill to day in new ground Put Plaster on Plant Beds to day —

10. Began to Rain last evening Have not done much for a 2 weeks snow & Rain Keeps the ground so wet, Halling Rails & fencing to day some spining —

11th cloudy & like for Rain cutting up on the Path for fire wood Henry halling wood alse Picking leaves off Plant Beds at new ground I went to Mrs McCullocks yesterday

12th & 13. Coltering Hilling Plowing for corn

15. went to Court. Coltering Hilling & Plowing for corn began to lay off a little first way to Plant corn.

16th aprl 1850 Laying off corn ground in Johns field. coltering & Hilling in new ground

17th cloudy & Raining a little this morning snowed some quite cool, every thing quite backward been wet & cool all the winter & spring to this time but not much very cold weather, not much corn planted yet continues to snow & cool Snowed fast till after 12 Oclock, snow 3 or 4 Inches Deep & If it had not melted at first as it fell, the snow would have been near 10 Inches Deep, quite cool yet Henry gone to shop in evening after waggon Fed shomaking for my W- alse & ann shelling corn Jane & Lila spining

18th april 1850 Real winters mor= =ning Ice snow & ground smartly frozen where the snow has melted - Halling wood shoemaking etc spining —

19. Fencing In the morning Hauled up 1 stack fodder alse & Fed Hilling about 10 oclock Jane & Henry went & commenced Planting corn in Johns field & Planted till 12 & then it rained till night nearly fixed the corn to Keep the Crows from pulling it up 4 spoons Tar. to 6 quarts corn the Tar put in 1 Gall. Boiling water & stired & put in after & let it stay 2 minutes & then roll it in Plaster

20 Raining this morning making Baskets sewing etc etc Buting up cobs -

21st still cloudy & cool I went yesterday to Mrs McCullocks & Mrs Colemans my wife gone to Mrs Hunts to day

22 Rainy & Cool there has been very little fair weather since 20th or 25th march ground so wet we cant do but very little

1850 April 22nd Henry Hauling rails for Lain Fed Hauling leaves gone to new ground to Hill since they started it has commenced raining — cows has ^{nearly 2 days}been gone

23 Hilled a little last evening again & Hauled Rails for Lain, This morning Hilling & Hauling Rails, it cleared off warm yesterday about 1 Oclock clouded up in evening & last night Thundered & this morning cloudy & like for Rain warm, Mrs Walkup sick cate has been 2 days & Mrs Ohe not at home

24 Hilling & Hauling Rails warm weather yesterday -

25. Began to Plant corn again yesterday at 12 Oclock Planted till night 1 Laying off & 1 Horse covering with Harrow Rained last night we began to Plant this morning Rained so hard we stoped We have planted but little corn yet ground very wet & has been so since last march raining very often & snowed once very little corn planted in 1 ^sectionbig cut One calf yesterday & marked balance Real wet day & so like to be today spining making Baskets etc etc

26 Piling Rocks & Roots in new ground Beding fresh ground for Tobacco cloudy & like for Rain plowed ^{Patch to day}up Cates weather moderate at this time put Hester Ann in Pastur[e] & have to carry our cows to stony point every to Keep^{them alive}

27. Rained last night, This morning we are Piling Rocks Roots, cleared off very pretty this^morning

1850 april 27th The ground is still very wet. We are bedding our second yrs Tobacco Land every thing very late, cattle has very little to eat, - ———— at 12 oclock with 2 Horses ann & myself [droped?] We Planted nearly all our drill corn

28th cloudy warm & like for Rain ^{Hunts & Colemans} I went to Mrs

29. This morning quite cool & clear we are laying off our corn ground alse & ann Hilling in new ground expect to Plant corn at 12 oclock - flies eating Tobacco Plants, putting Plaster manure on them —

30 Planting corn in Johns field began yesterday at 12 oclock far side

May 1st Planting corn in Johns field & finished Just before night, laying off fresh ground Halling manure on Potatoe Patch & scattering very ^clear cool in deed flies eating ^Tobacco Plants very much, weather drying — Planted Simblings Snaps etc etc —

2nd Planting fresh ground corn fixing ^Sweet Potatoe Patch by ^{& Planted it} garden Federick Collering new ground Jacob starts to school to Mrs Walkup, a little ^{last night} frost

3rd Planted nearly 2 squares Greens in Garden Planted Cotton etc etc water mellons cucumbers etc etc Henry & Jane Bedding wet spots for corn, finished Planting corn yesterday except flats — Hilling & coltering got 10 Bus. to sew Sewing Oats this evening^now