Text
Franklin McMillan (1885-1966)
1922
Transcribed by Rural Diary Archive volunteers
{Front Cover} 1922
Diary
1922.
Frank McMillan
Burlington
Jan 1st Sunday, new Years Day, very cold this morning. zero.
Jan 2nd still cold below zero yet, no electric lights. no Radial cars till noon. Election Day: we
voted in both townships.
Jan 3rd milder this morning and snowing a little. Yesterdays Election returns are in East Flamboro
Peter Rae Reeve, and alt. Easterbrook. Deputy Reeve in Nelson Irving. Reeve By accl. H.T. Foster
one of the councillors , in Burlington Hobson again for mayor & Harris for Reeve. Burlington won
first of their O.H.A games with Ham. Tigers in overtime play score 4-2
Jan 4th Raining all day roads very icy
Jan 5th Rainting Raining yet this am ice all gone. turning cold again tonight
Jan 6th went to Burlington to Dr Pearts. have sore eyes, inflammation he says.
Jan 7th moderately cold fine winter weather. no snow.
Jan 8th Weather fine eyes very sore Lillies getting sore now. Dr says it is. Pink eye Jan 18th Eyes have been to sore to write anything since Jan 8th. they have been very bad. Dr
here 4 or 5 times also a nurse for 6 days Lillies did not get as sore as mine. Charlotte just had a
touch of it the weather has been fine and moderately cold
Jan 20th My Birthday eyes improving some but unable to go out yet.
Jan 21st Fine & Bright nice winter weather.
Jan 22nd Sunday coldest & roughest day of the winter. Strong gales & snow flurries from the
west. up all last night. nurse & Dr arrived this morning nothing doing yet tonight.
Jan 23rd Bright and very cold
Jan 24th. very cold nurse here yet but nothing doing
Jan 25th Still very cold eyes not better yet.
Jan 26th. Doris Lillie McMillan arrived about 6.20 this morning weather fine & moderately cold.
Jan 27th Fine & moderately cold have not been able to do anything for a month nearly.
Jan 28th Fine & no snow. Burl. won last O Ha Game with Beaver of Ham. score 6-2. They won 6
out of 8 games. and win district Honors they lost one game to Grimsby and one to Ham. Tigers.
Jan 29th Sunday fine & warm had Lillies folks out to see the baby
Jan 30th Fine & mild no snow
Jan 31st Fine & mild. was out for the first took a walk down to Johns. have to wear goggles
Feby 1 cool & cloudy looks like rain Phoned for a couple of cars manure promised one next week
Feby 2nd Rained all night heavy wind today & turning cold again
Feby 3rd moderately cold had Chevrolet agent around trying too sell us a truck. they are to dear
$1950.
Feby 4th Fine & cold
Feby 5th snowing and raining a little had Stanley Long & wife & children in to see us
Feby 6th Fine & mild, wrote some letters ordering seeds, manure and fruit baskets & crates.
Feby 7th Fine & mild thawing again am afraid this winter will be hard on Strawberries no snow all
winter leaves all frozen brown now
Feby 8th Very cold again, had Ford agent around about a truck worth around $900.
Feby 9th mild again Burlington lost Hockey game last night with Brantford score 4 to 2. Lehman.
Burlington goaler hit on nose badly cut. Received card car of manure shipped Feby 6th.
Feby 10th nurse left today charged $108 for 18 days some pay Eh.
Feby 11th Burl lost H. Game at Brantford 6 to 0 Ice soft. Game very rough Summers of Burl.
Knocked out and Wilson was drunk no wonder they lost. was down town this morning first since
Jan 7
Feby 12th Sunday cold with strong west winds & some snow
Feby 13th cold. car of manure car of manure arrived this P.M.
Feby 14th John had Mr Jordan helping unload car of manure
Feby 15th went to Hamilton got license for car. no 58892. also got. Tomato, Cabbages & Pepper
seeds. turning cold again
Feby 16th very cold. clear & frosty.
Feby 17th very cold coldest this winter about 6 below zero.
Feby 18th mild again today raining tonight.
Feby 19th mild had a thunder and lightning storm in the evening
Feby 20th Fine & mild like spring heard some crows. cleaning up barns getting ready to put
baskets in.
Feby 21st Fine, trimming trees, started getting in 1000 crates from Applefords. at 25¢ also berry
boxs at $7 00 per 1000.
Feby 22nd Rained & sleeted all night, and all day today. (applefords driver says the hill is very icey
Feby 23rd every thing all covered with ice yet, never saw so much on the trees. lots of limbs
broken also lots of wires down, no electric lights last night nor tonight rained today at noon and
warm this afternoon ice nearly all gone by night and every thing flooded. by bed time ground frozen
again and blowing heavy gales from the west. took 3 snapshots of the orchard with ice on trees
hope they are good. (note. turned out good)
Feby 24th very cold this morning about zero, one of the Packing Houses all blown to pieces some
time last night.
Feby 25th Cutting down 40 more Clapps pear trees. now only about 15 left out of 200. all blighted
was down town at night first night since Jan 3rd.
Feby 26th mild & cloudy Sunday had Mr & Mrs B. Mr & Mrs Penn and Mr & Mrs Stan Long out.
Feby 27th Snowed a little this morning we all motored to Hamilton to see about a hired girl also
Electric Washer. went to Loews at night with Mr B. did not get home till after 11 oclock.
Feby 28 Turned very cold again last night getting in baskets. 11 qts crates $68 00 for 1000 slat
covers $20 + Leno's $22.
Mch 1st cold & cloudy. got two more loads baskets in.
Mch 2nd Fine & moderately cold trimming trees.
Mch 3rd. Fine & clear trimming apple trees. some job. a lot of dead in them.
Mch 4th Fine. started unloading car of manure this afternoon & making hotbeds. the car was 8
days on the road.
Mch 5th Fine & mild was down home for tea.
Mch 6th Fine & warm. like spring heard a robin. unloading manure and making hot beds
Mch 7th Rained all night showery this morning sowed part of our seeds some Peppers, Cabbages
& Tomatoes.
Mch 8th. Sowed balance of Tomato pepper & Cabbage Seeds. sowed 4 ozs. Ruby Giant pepper 2
ozs Pimento Pepper about 8 ozs our own hot pepper
4 ozs First & Best tomato
6 ozs John Baer
"
6 ozs Copenhagen Cabbages in forty four sashes. cold last night but clear & frosty today.
Mch 9th milder today East wind bright & clear fine hotbed weather
Mch 10th East winds & mild Cabbages up already sowed on Mch 7th, Trimming old orchard.
Mch 11th. cold east wind fixing sash in the barn Mch 12th Sunday. motored to Ham. had dinner at Mrs Barlows & tea at Lillie's Mother's weather
fine just like April.
Mch 13th Fine, trimming trees.
Mch 14th. Fine & warm, ordered 40 new hotbed sashes at $1.65 each from Nicholsons and 3 boxs
glass from Mains at $6 00 per box ordered Ford Truck today. complete with License $9.25,
delivery May 1st
Mch 15th Fair & mild trimming trees
Mch 16th. Colder with very cold north west wind, finished trimming trees.
Mch 17th Very cold & frosty, north wind, fixing hot bed sashes in the barn.
Mch 18th Making more hotbeds for transplanting Cabbages
Mch 19th Sunday cold & cloudy heavy east wind, looks like a storm
Mch 20th. Rained all night and some showers this morning have a car of manure in but John and I
both have colds we are getting Geo H. & Mr Jordan to unload it tomorrow
Mch 21st First day of spring ground all covered with snow this morning, and had snow flurries all
morning, winds north west & colder - unloading manure
Mch 22nd Very cold with strong north west winds. finished car of manure and put Earth on
hotbeds.
Mch 23rd Sowed 4 sash of Chalks Jewel Tomatoes and started transplanting Cabbages
Mch 24th Finished transplanting Early Cabbages 40 sashes 200 to the sash... total about 8000
Mch 25th Have a bad cold did not go out all day.
Mch 26th Sunday cool and showery
Mch 27th. Cloudy & very mild transplanting tomatoes.
Mch 28th Very cold again this morning, planted some
more Tomatoes in the afternoon
Mch 27th Raining all day went to Hamilton and got Electric Washer. Blue Bird cost $114 00
wholesale retail price was $155 00
Mch 30th One of the worst storms of the winter snowed all morning raining & sleeting this
afternoon man started work this morning at $14.00 per week.
Mch 31st Rained & snowed all night looks like real winter this morning ice & snow over everything
and cold north wind blowing hotbeds all covered with ice & snow frozen on them can't open them at
all.
April 1st. Very cold ground covered with snow, Transplanted one frame of Tomatoes too cold had
to stop
April 2nd Sunday cool & cloudy was down home for tea.
April 3rd Cool & East winds transplanting tomatoes.
April 4th made hotbeds for peppers & Transplanted Tomatoes about one half of what we done
before the ice storm have droped over April 5th The man that started last week only worked one day never came back. hired another one
today. Very cold & cloudy with strong East wind
April 6th. working at hotbeds cool & cloudy.
April 7th. Strong south west winds & very mild. fixing doors on barn and just finished transplanting
tomatoes 90 sashes.
April 8th started transplanting Peppers Harrowed Asparagus & men drawing brush out of the
orchard
April 9th Sunday.
turned very warm this afternoon. went over to Roy Bells for tea.
April 10th Very warm transplanting some more peppers went to Hamilton for some Clover seed,
Corn etc. Paid $31.25 sash
April 11th Rained all night and till noon today. every thing flooded, turning cold tonight.
April 12th Very cold with high west winds. unloading car of manure.
April 13th Cool. Cleaned weeds off old strawberry patch
April 14th. Good Friday cold north east & East wind cloudy started raining in the evening finished
transplanting pepper & started uncovering strawberries they look good seem to have come through
winter alright, hired Geo Chapman to look after our berry pickers at $25 per week for 10 weeks
April 15 cool with north East wind. uncovering strawberries
April 16th Sunday Fine home all day. Doris has been sick for about a week.
April 17th Heavy thunder storms this morning every thing flooded made hot-beds in the afternoon
April 18th Cold with high winds uncovering strawberries started man plowing for the first it is
pretty wet yet.
April 19th Cold with high south west wind started raining again in the evening finished uncovering
Strawberries started filling up Blackberries
April 20th. Very cold and windy with some snow Flurries
April 21st. Sick in bed today with the Flu. & Bronchitis
May 2nd out of bed today first time since April 21st. have had some house with sickness
myself Lillie and both children also the first nurse took it and now Lillies mother in bed John & men
transplanted Tomatoes 2nd time on April 24th 25th 26th 27th. also put in Oats & Clover seed in the
orchards on April 27th & April 28th.. Sowed 3/4 lb Carrot seed on April 29th. on May 1st. started
planting some Strawberries, and May 2nd started putting out Cabbages down home: 6000 there.
May 2nd 3rd & 4th. Planted Strawberries back of cemetery. the weather has been fine. no rain.
May 5th Cloudy. planted trees finished planting Cabbages May 6th Rows - 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, are
Grand Duke Rows 3, 5, 9, are Reine Claude Rows 2, 7, 11 are Bradshaw. starting next road..
Some plums Burbanks & Abundance out in blossom.
May 7th Sunday cool & windy had a light shower last night
May 8th Planting strawberries yet. also cut first asparagus 5 doz sold in Toronto at ______ $1.60
a doz
May 9th Planted Golden Bantam sweet corn & pumpkins also planting strawberries - weather,
cold & cloudy East winds
May 10th Finished planting SBerries filled up young Rasberry patch. poor prospects for Rasps.
this year, every thing frozen. only young patch left.
May 11th Very warm today sowed Late Cabbages 2 ozs Copenhagen. and Cauliflower 2 ozs.
Erfurts. shipped 8 baskets Grass. sold at $2 50
May 12th FIxing up sprayer men hoeing bushes
May 13th Planted Potatoes. Got new Ford Truck cost $925 bright & sunshiny today but very cold
wind. feels like frost tonight. some strawberries in blossom and all the plums pears & cherries in full
bloom. Have to catch the early train tomorrow morning it starts on daylight time at 550
May 14th. Sunday cool, with strong East winds.
May 15th Fine & warm hoeing old strawberries patch.
May 16th. Hoeing strawberries fine & warm
May 17th: Hoeing strawberries weather showery.
May 18th Dug Blackberries out which had Orange Rust also hoeing strawberries stopped at 4
oclock by rain.
May 19th. Hoeing strawberries showery again. Had Ida over to spend the day.
May 20th.. Rained again about 11 oclock and for the rest of the day, ground getting too wet now.
Asparagus $2 75 today.
May 21st Sunday Fine & warm was down to see Uncle Archie he is pretty low. guess he will not
last much longer.
May 22nd Fine & warm. went to Hamilton to get some seeds. basket fasteners etc. men hoeing
Cabbages cut 12 bskts {baskets} asparagus sold at $3.25 bskt {basket} in Toronto
May 23rd Planted yellow corn & pumpkins, & marked ground for Tomatoes.
May 24th Planted cukes. also sowed carrots again too thin last time. sowed first 12 rows next
orchard and last part half way
past Radish hole in drill. 1 lb seed. started planting Tomatoes in the afternoon got about 4600 out.
May 25th Showery. planting Tomatoes
May 26th Fair & warm finished planting Tomatoes 17 500 plants
May 27th. Planting Peppers heavy & cold north wind blowing about 5000 Hot. 1500 Pimento 3500
Sweet Ruby Giant.
May 28th. Sunday Fine & warm was down to the Beach and over to see Will Bell.
May 29th. Started Spraying at noon. a little over 3½ gals Lime Sulphur & 5¼ lbs Lead (Powdered)
per tank. Men hoeing new strawberries
May 30th Spraying all day weather fine
May 31st Spraying yet
Good Prospects for fruit Lots of plums & apples. half crop pears & cherries.
June 1st. Finished spraying today 22 tanks - 2 lbls Lime sulphur 125 lbs Lead
June 2nd. Weeding & Hoeing started rain about 4 oclock.
June 3rd Fine & warm. all the crowd cleaning up hotbeds
June 4th Sunday Fine & warm was down at Hicks for tea
June 5th. Hoeing & cultivating and finished cleaning up hot-beds. Dealt Ford Truck off for a Reo got what we paid for ford $925 Reo cost $2100.
June 6 Fine & warm. hoeing
Junr 7th Hoeing Cabbage second time ought to have Cabbages in a couple of weeks
June 8th Picked first strawberries 3 crates shipped to Toronto sold at 27¢ box
June 9th. Three men cultivating others hoeing. very warm over 90 in the shade
June 10th. Had a very heavy rain in the night. lightning and thunder. very bad. Sowed Turnip
seed. sowed half way past Turnip hole in the drill.
June 9th (cont) Uncle Archie died this afternoon funeral on Sunday.
June 11th Sunday. every thing flooded in the night. Thunder storm started about 10 oclock last
night and kept up one after another all night till after 4 this morning. it is now about 10 oclock and
Thundering again went to Uncle Archies funeral weather turned out fine.
June 12th Picked 30 crates strawberries
off the old patch. they were awful sandy. shipped to Toronto sold at 28¢ and 30¢
June 13th. Picked strawberries guess they dropped in price sold in Toronto at 20 and 22¢
June 14. Picked 41 crates. sold some north at $5.00 crate and some to Ross Hart at 15¢, Sold in
Toronto at 16¢
June 15 Picked 49 crates SB. today. only shipped 13 crates north Balance to Toronto. sold at 18¢
there
June 16th. Picked 66 crates but stopped by rain, did not get nearly over them sold 29 crates to
Smith at 14¢. 19 crates north at 15¢ and 18 crates to Toronto at 18¢
June 17th Had very heavy thunderstorms again in the night every thing flooded today nothing
doing
June 18 Cold & cloudy looks like rain. Sunday
June 19th. Drove to Toronto with 80 crates Berries sold 40 at 10¢ here. Shipped balance north at
12¢ and to Toronto had a big day 254 crates in all.
June 20th. Fine & Cool picked 234 crates SB. Today getting very cheap. sold 83 crates north at
10¢ some here at $2 40 shipped balance to Toronto. sold at 9 & 10¢ {Side note} Reo Truck
delivered today it looks fine
June 21st Picked 125 crates shipped north at 10 cents box
June 22nd Picked 124 crates shipped north at 10¢ Crop a failure nearly done. could have sold
500 crates today
June 23 only picked 77 crates today sold at 12¢ north. have picked 1028 all told up till tonight
(Friday).
June 24 No picking today. was weeding carrots also planted out Cabbages very warm had to put
old berry boxs over them. also sowed turnip seed over again, last never came up. ground got all
hard & crusty after the big storms. sowed about half way past turnip hole in drill I drove to
Wabasso Park. with {Marocle?} crowd arrived from St Thomas, The Reo truck goes fine.
June 25 Sunday. clear & very cold.
June 26 Clear & cold picked 124 crates berries sold mostly at 15 cents. also 14 Richmond
cherries at $1.00 and 7 crates Cabbages for the first at $2 00.
June 27th Showery only picked 69 crates, planted out Cauliflower
June 28th. Picked 107 crates not very many orders
had to ship 100 54 crates to Toronto sold at 14¢ 50 crates nth {north} at 15¢
June 29th Picked 66 crates straw-berries. shipped mostly to Toronto. shipped 56 bskts Richmond
cherries & some Cabbages up north.
June 30th Very warm today. only picked 34 crates strawberries they are nearly done July 1st Saturday showery in the morning nothing doing all day
July 2nd Fine & warm
July 3rd Picked 22 crates SBerries and a few cherries 29 bskts
July 4th Still picking Berries and Richmond cherries
July 5th Picked the last of the strawberries had 1484 crates: only a light crop.
July 6th Picked first Raspberries 2 crates shipped to Toronto sold at 27½¢ also finished picking
Richmond cherries averaged about 90¢ bskt. Started picking Montmorency 68 bskts at $1 00 per
bskt .
July 7th Cherry market all shut selling as low as 50 cts in Toronto only picked 58 bskts to ship
north. Blowing heavy gales from south west. blew alot of cherries off and bruised them on the trees
badly.
July 8th Fine & moderately warm Hoeing old strawberry Patch.
July 9th Sunday Fine & cool
10th Picking cherries selling north at 80 cents cut 28 crates Cabbages 80 & 90¢
July 11 Very warm, cherries badly bruised. picked 21 bskts Green Peppers
also 1 bskt tomatoes peppers sold at 90¢ tomatoes sold at $15.0 {$1.50} tomatoes very poor crop
this year.
July 12th Orangemans day pickers scarce. only picked 100 bskts Cherries. heavy rain at five
oclock.
July 13 Fine & warm picking cherries & cutting cabbages
July 14th Picking cherries Have picked 978 bskts up till today Friday night.
July 15 Cut 25 doz Cabbage for Hart at 50¢ doz. Picked 12 crates Rasps. went to market with 9
crates sold at 20¢
July 16th Fine & warm, home all day.
July 17th Cut 25 crates cabbages & 6 sacks picked 130 cherries & 27 bskts tomatoes. shipped all
north. had a couple of light showers.
July 18th Picked cherries at 80¢ 14 Rasps at 21 cents 23¢ & 24¢
July 19. Picked cherries 80¢ 18 Rasps shipped Toronto sold at 23 & 24¢ 17 tomatoes at $1 50.
34 peppers @ $ 60 to $100 { $0.60 to $1.00} weather fine & warm.
July 20. Fine picking Cherries & Raspberries.
July 21 Picking cherries & Rasps fine & warm.
July 22 Sat picked Black Currants 9 baskets in all.
July 23rd Sunday. Showery. Lillie played organ at Meth. Church.
July 24th Picked last of Red Cherries. picked first apples 75 bskts sold @ 50¢.
July 25th Picked Rasps all day 28 crates, also picked first plums 6 bskts Willards shipped north at
75¢
July 26th Picked Rasps all day 29 crates.
July 27 Picked Morello Cherries & Raspberries
July 28th. Very warm. finished picking Morello cherries total cherries picked this year 1605. 350
less than last year. Picked first Lawtons 5½ crates shipped north at 20¢, also picked Rasps at 25¢
& 54 tomatoes at 60¢
July 29th Sowed some buckwheat on old strawberry bed, also planted some Cucumber seed am
afraid it is too late (it was no good) Have 1625 Berry crates & quart Boxs in now bot from Dalton
for 15¢ each delivered here.
July 30 Fine & very warm had dinner & supper at the beach.
July 31 Showery nearly all day. picked between Showers.
Aug 1st. Rained very hard in the early morning. picked rasps tomatos & plums. Red June & Shiro.
Aug 2 Picked plums at 50¢ & 60¢ Rasps & Lawtons apples tomatoes Cukes & Peppers but every
thing cheap - raining again at 5 oclock.
Aug 3
Nothing doing today no orders only for Tomatoes. and we had none.
Aug 4 Picked tomatoes only about 90 bskts at 50¢ 75 plums at 40¢ & 50¢ A few Lawtons &
Rasps.
Aug 5 Sold Ross Hart 50 plums 12 Cukes & 15 doz Cabbages - Cutting oats rest of day -
Aug 6 Sunday Raining all afternoon & evening Lillie played organ at Church.
Aug 7. Picked 153 toms {tomatoes} sold 50¢ 70 plums 40¢ a few Cukes 25¢ Berries &
Cabbages. a shower at noon. and a big storm at 4.30 every thing flooded.
Aug 8th Picked the last of our Raspberries today only had 225 - crates this year.
Aug 9 Only 70 bskts tomatoes today at 50¢ Plums 30¢ apples 40, very cool nights.
Aug 10th Light to day no Tomatoes only a few plums & apples
Aug 11th. Busy today 190 toms {tomatoes} at 50¢. 90 plums 30¢ 15 appls 40¢ 70 doz corn 18¢
10 doz Cabb 50
Aug 12 Picked 300 bskts plums sold Smith 200 at 25¢ Hart 25 at 30¢ shipped Balance Aug 13 Sunday fine & warm
Aug 14. Very warm & very busy. sold Smith 50 plums @ 25 N.P.G. 88 toms @ 40 Picked 276
bskts toms and 275 plums, also 20 apples 80 doz corn and 10 pears & peppers
Aug 15 Another hot and busy day. picked 365 plums all together 595 bskts fruit besides 80 doz
corn 2 crates berries
Aug 16. Busy again today. John sick. very hot heavy thunder storms at Aldershot and Oakville.
had light storm here
Aug 17th only shipped 300 bskts today and 90 doz corn more showers went around very hot here
Aug 18. Warm yet picked plums at 25 apples 40¢ Tomatoes 40. Cukes 22½ 100 doz corn 15¢
Aug 19. Picked 205 plums at 23¢, also some cukes corn etc.
Aug 20 Sunday fair & cold Lillie played organ at church had Dad. Effie Hattie & Lillies folks for
the day.
Aug 21 Fine & cool picked 519 bskts today tomatoes at 30¢ plums 25. Gages 40¢ Corn 12½.
Cabb 40 doz. pears 50¢ apples 35¢
Aug 22nd not so busy today orders dropping off Aug 23rd Picking plums and Tomatoes prices no good 25¢ up north. Toronto no good at all, prices
noted on the papers. say, Tomatoes as low as 15¢. plums 20¢ Cukes 10¢. Corn as low as 3¢
Aug 24 Started picking Tomatoes for Canning factory at 45¢ a bushel.
Aug 25. Shipped 200 bskts fruit north. also 3 loads toms {tomatoes} to Canning factory.
Aug 26th Sold Ross Hart 2 loads today, 160 plums at 20¢, 40 cukes 18¢, 19 crab apples at 30¢
25 sweet Peppers 35¢ 100 doz corn 12¢ 5 doz Pumpkins 1 00 {$1}
Aug 27 Sunday fair & cold Aug 28th not very busy for monday. picking Tomatoes for factory and a few plums & Tomatoes for
orders.
Aug 29th Raining all morning picked a few Pears & plums for orders.
Aug 30 Orders scarce and everything cheap Aug 31 orders a little better today about 250 bskt in all.
Sept 1 no orders at all hardly, raining in the afternoon.
Sept 2 Sold Hart 140 bskts fruit - and a few Pumpkins and some corn
Sept 3rd Sunday fine & warm.
Sept 4th. Had quite a lot of orders today about 300 bskts but every thing cheap.
Sept 5th only orders for about 30 bskts, sold all the Bartlett pears down to 2¼ in at 2½ cts lb to
Harvest Co'y {Company}.
Sept 6th Picking tomatoes for cannery, and Pears for Harvest Co'y. hardly any orders.
Sept 7th. Finished Bartlett pears 145 bus. avereaged $1 45 per bushel, while we had only been
getting 35¢ per basket up north. Had more orders today. 178 bskts in all
Sept 8th Picked Howell pears only had 41 bskts this year no orders today total only 50 bskts
Sept 9th Saturday nothing doing at all.
Sept 10th Sunday. very warm for this time of year thunder shower in the night
Sept 11th. Rained all night and up till noon today picked tomatoes for canning factory in the
afternoon Sept 12th. Picked 180 bskts fruit for our orders. also tomatoes for factory, they close tonight put
283 bus in yesterday and today, all told 11 00 bus.
Sept 13th. shipped nearly 200 bskts on orders also 100 bskts plums to Toronto to try them and 50
peppers. also took a load Tomatoes to Aylmer Canning Co. Geo Chapman stopped work tonight.
Sept 14 Raining again all day took 35 bus tomatoes to Hamilton factory nothing else doing
Sept 15. Picking quite a few orders also 5 blls {barrels} Colvert apples.
Sept 16th Picked a couple loads for Ross Hart. 15 bags Carrots at 55¢ bag 25 doz Cabb at 35¢
Tomatoes @ 22¢. Peppers 30¢
Sept 17. Went up to Hamilton on the truck. had dinner & tea.
Sept 18th. Picked about 250 bskts & 5 more blls {barrels} apples. weather cool & cloudy.
Sept 19th. Rained all night and raining yet till noon fixed barrels in the barn and shipped a few
orders in the afternoon.
Sept 20. Fine & warm. picked 50 bskts and 4 crates Cauliflower for Ross Hart @ $1 25 crate
Burlington Fair was today John and all the rest gone.
Sept 21 Fine & warm. not very many orders today moved McGrath back to Hamilton. brought 20
bus Rye out $1 25 bushel. started ploughing yesterday.
Sept 22nd First day for a long time that we have had no orders, very warm cutting out Blackberry
canes.
Sept 23 Fine & warm sold Ross Hart one load Cabbages 50 doz at 35¢ and one load mixed
Grapes 33¢ peaches 35 Tomatoes 23¢ Reine Claude plums 25 Cauliflower 1 25 crate Carrots
55¢ a bag
Sept 24 Sunday. cool & cloudy. home alone all day Sept 25 Ploughing tomato patch. picked some peppers & pears. and started picking apples. had a
light frost this morning but did not do any damage
Sept 26th Frost again this morn- but no damage done. picking Cranberry pippin apples no orders
at all today
Sept 27th. Finished picking Duchess & Sheldon pears also last 10 bskt tomatoes
Sept 28th. Sowing rye on tomato patch also picking apples. Fine & very warm
Sept 29th Picking Greening apples picked three trees 80 bushels Mrs Smythe buried today very
warm weather
Sept 30th Fine & very warm picking Greening apples
Oct 1 warm as summer went to Hamilton for tea.
Oct 2nd Very warm packing apples. picked two barrels Kieffer pears.
Oct 3 warm like Summer picking & packing Greening apples.
Oct 4. Picked 161 bskt peaches @ 30¢ 52 bskt Grapes 27¢ for Ross Hart. Shipped some Hot Red
peppers to Toronto we picked them all green and put in berry shanty, and the weather so warm,
they are nearly all red now.
Oct 5 Warm & fine picked & packed 46 barrels Spy apples today. (four of us)
Oct 6. Fine & warm picked last of peaches & 24 bbls {barrels} Baldwin apples. Charlotte very sick
with summer complaint since Tuesday Oct 3rd has eaten nothing only water
Oct 7th Picking apples in the morning. packed in barn in the afternoon as it was raining very hard.
Oct 8 Sunday cool & cloudy Charlotte still very sick have a nurse now. had Dr Clark Specialist
tonight ordered Charlotte to Hospital
Oct 9. Lillie & Doris went to Hamilton to stay Charlotte very bad.
Oct 10th. Weather fine packing apples. Charlotte no better.
Ot 11th Loaded Car of apples for Hutchison Bros 174 blls {barrels} winter apples @ $3 25 30
Cranberry Pippins $2 50 6 pears at 325 {$3.25} - Raining in the afternoon
Oct 12th Picking apples Charlotte worse went to Hamilton before noon Dr only gives her 24 hrs.
Oct 13. stayed nearly all last night in Hospital Charlotte very low. Doris has it but not very bad.
Charlotte a little stronger tonight.
Oct 14th Charlotte about same John fell out of apple tree yesterday. has very bad ankle
Oct 15th. Charlotte seems a little stronger today.
Oct 16th Monday fine & warm packed apples (C just same
Oct 17th. Turned very cold in the night. packing apples
Oct 18th Weather fine & cool still packing apples.
Oct 19th. Loaded car of apples
83 bbls {barrels} for A E Johnston Sundridge @ $3 00
66
"
"
P J Mann Bracebridge @ $3 25
22
"
W J Troyer Magnetawan @ 3 25
Oct 20 picking Kieffer pears for Harvest Canning Co Sold them at 1¢ per lb for {2 inchs} pears &
upwards.
Oct 21st Sold Ross Hart 176 bags Turnips at 30¢ 25 bags Carrots 50¢ and 4980 lbs Cabbages at
9 00 per ton. Charlotte improving.
Oct 22nd Spent all day in the city did not see Charlotte she now crys after leaving her. weather
fine took a walk up the mountain.
Oct 23rd Drawing pears to Hamilton & sending out a few orders showery in the morning cleared
up at noon.
Oct 24th Finished drawing pears got had 180 bushel to the Harvest Co. got Charlotte out of
Hospital went to Lillies mothers.
Oct 25. picking & packing apples yet. weather frosty.
Oct 26 Finished picking apples have some to pack yet weather cool.
Oct 27. Sold Ross Hart 87 bags Turnips & 52 bags Carrots 5230 lbs Cabbage worked till nearly
ten oclock tonight loading them.
Oct 28 star packing apples and started loading the last of the apples Oct 29. Sunday fine & cool. staying in Hamilton yet Charlotte improving but very thin & week yet
expect to come home on Tuesday.
Oct 30th. Finished packing apples. 53 bbls {barrels} to Hanna at $3.00 54 bbls to E B Farwell at
$300 {$3.00} and a few small orders
Oct 31st Brought Charlotte home from Hamilton this morning it sure is good to all be home again
still have a nurse. Drawing in corn stalks all day. looks like rain.
Nov 1st. Getting ready for market for the first time. looks like rain.
Nov 2 Went to market today had a few light showers got home at half past three every thing
cheap and hard to sell Turnips 30 & 35¢ Carrots 40¢. Peppers 30 & 35¢ Cauliflowers 50 to $1.50
box Cabbages about 35¢ doz.
Nov 3rd Drawing in corn had over 150 bushel getting ready for market again
Nov 4th went to market again looked like rain but did not. got home at noon.
Nov 5 Sunday. Fine & warm was home all day.
Thanksgiving Day.
Nov 6th Raining all morning got load ready for market in the afternoon. Had Mr & Mrs B. out.
Nov 7th Went to market was home at noon. vegetables very cheap. Cabbages 30 to 40¢ dozen
Carrots 35 & 40¢ Turnips 25 & 30¢ Cauliflower 75 to $1.50 Peppers 30 to 40¢. We are going to
getting our mail R R Route in a few days Nov 8th Took two loads today to Hamilton 1 load Turnips 20¢ bus {bushel}. 1 load Carrots 35¢
and got load ready for Market
Nov 9th Went to market finished with Cauliflower & Peppers today
March 10th Took two loads to Hamilton today. heavy
frost this morning. Jerry Fishcarrier left Thursday noon - only Jack left and Geo Hammond
ploughing part of the time.
Nov 11th Was at market sold out at half past six. had nearly all Cabbages
Nov 12th Sunday. Had visitors Dean B. & Roy & Will Bell.
Nov 13th Heavy frost this morning cut load of Cabbages for market and started unloading m 2nd
car of manure. putting in Raspberries
Nov 14th went to market with last load of the year about 60 doz Cabbages made about $20.00
did not get home till 5 oclock, mild. rained at night
Nov 15. Started unloading 3rd car of manure with the truck, weather cool & cloudy Nov 16th Finished car of manure and started spreading on the ground Nov 17th. warm & very heavy south west wind drawing manure & cutting out Raspberry bushes.
Nov 18 Rough & showery man ploughing.
Nov 19 Sunday. cloudy and a little cooler
Nov 20th Cool & cloudy turnning out Raspberry bushes.
Nov 21st Same job trimming berry bushes. Geo. H. ploughing.
Nov 22nd Looks like winter this morning
ground covered with snow for the first time at Berry bushes till afternoon started another car of
manure. Went up to City, Lillie & Myself to the Grand. saw. Chu Chin Chow. it was very good but
to high in price cost $550 {$5.50} for two seats but was the first show in 2 years for us.
Nov 23rd finished car of manure at noon. started on another we are getting from Alex Bell from
Hagersville. drawing from Freeman, as they never told the agent to send it down till way freight had
gone.
Nov 24th Cold and cloudy with snow flurries finished car of manure.
Nov 25th. Finished cutting out berry bushes. Geo. H. ploughing, ground frozen some moved Jack
Stevenson in to Hamilton.
Nov 26th. Cold & cloudy. snowing a little at night
Nov 27. Some snow on ground this morning unloaded another car of manure. Had Geo. H. & Mr
Jordan helping.
Nov 28th Unloaded another car today quite a lot of snow. and getting cold tonight.
Nov 29th Windy & milder unloaded another car of manure -
Nov 30 Milder, mowed down old blackberry patches another car of manure in for tomorrow.
Dec 1st Unloaded car of manure was bad day for the job very windy. turning very cold tonight.
Dec 2nd Burning & cleaning up Blackberry patch & Raspberries.
Dec 3rd Fine & mild. Had Grandpa up for dinner.
Dec 4th Unloaded last car of manure this fall had 10 cars in fall 4 cars in Spring cost $960.03.
weather very fine in the morning but cloudy with east winds at night looks like rain.
Dec 5th. Rained a little in the night, but very cold all day with heavy north west wind. Finished
cleaning out berry bushes. also finished team ploughing and put in fence posts around hotbed
grounds. looks like freezing up now.
Dec 6th Ground frozen this morning. Covering strawberries have G. Hammond & F. Jordan
Dec 7th. Covering strawberries cold this morning ground frozen solid, a few snow flurries. and
rained & freezing all after noon Dec 8th. Raining & freezing all morning. Cleared
up at noon. Had Lavene Kerns helping to put on & fit storm sashes.
Dec 9th. Cold & cloudy finished putting on Storm sashes. cost $40.50 for sash $1.50 for paint
$6.00 for carpenter $48.00 in all for the 10 sash. three years married today.
Dec 10th. Cool & Bright ground frozen solid. Just like winter. Had Mr & Mrs B. out for the day.
Dec 11th. Covering strawberries finished tonight. covered about 6 acres and about 6 acres old
bed not covered beginning to look like a storm.
Dec 12th. Windy & cold this morning drawing manure into Raspberries stopped about 11 oclock
too windy John Chrissie Ida & Hattie and our family all down home for Chicken dinner. Very cold
tonight.
Dec 13th Very cold today nearly zero last night.
Dec 14th. not quite so cold today. but snowing all day.
Dec 15. Very cold again all day. with a couple of inches of snow on ground.
Dec 16. Cool & frosty. started fixing some of the crates in the barn. but Keeps me busy going twice
a day to Johns to do chores
as he is not able to put his foot down to the ground yet.
Dec 17th snowing this morning (Sunday), turning cold tonight quiet a lot of snow arrived in Los
Angeles 3 years ago today.
Dec 18th Fair & very cold some sleighs out Dec 19th. Fair and not quite so cold. went up to the city for a few presents. also hunting up some
barrels & Orange boxs, have some promised.
Dec 20th Cloudy and a little milder trying to deal old car off but nothing doing yet.
Dec 21st Cleaning up the truck after drawing manure. weather milder.
Dec 22nd Went in to Hamilton to Carrolls and got 121 Orange Crates at 10¢ each. Got a load of
coal two tons from Fred Thomas Waterdown had to pay $20.00 per ton it seems an awful price.
weather milder tonight. looks like snow or rain.
Dec 23rd A little milder but cloudy drove around delivering some Xmas presents.
Dec 24th Sunday was home all day. had Bells drop in with a Xmas present
Dec 25th Xmas Day went up to Hamilton
for the day all had a good time I guess. Weather was mild thawing off the snow. got home about 8
oclock.
Dec 26th went up to the city for some barrels got 135 from McDougall at 25¢ he owes me some
money for carrots, looks like rain.
Dec 27th. Cloudy and getting colder.
Dec 28. Cold north East snow storm all day. looks like real winter
Dec 29th. Cold & clear real winter weather
Dec 30th. Have a bad cold inbed all day.
Dec 31st Sunday. Raining all day, and very icey.
Total Amounts of fruit And Vegetables sold during this season
strawberries
1484
crates
Raspberries
225
"
Lawtons
50
"
cherries
1605
Apples
450
"
apples
516
barrels
Plums
4475
baskets
pears (all
varieties)
910
Baskets
"
" Bartletts
145
bushels
" Kieffers.
180
bushels
pears Kieffers.
11
barrels
peaches
313
baskets
Blk currants
9
baskets
Grapes
87
x 6 qt bskts
Cabbages
175
orange crates
115
bags
"
sold loose
118
doz
"
sold loose
5 tons
120 lbs.
Asparagus
164
bskts
Tomatoes
3040
bskts
1194
bus.
Cucumbers
386
bskts
Cauliflowers
88
crates
Peppers
1068
bskts
1000
dozen
Turnips
263
bags
Carrots
102
"
Pumpkins loose
8.
"
"
Burlington Cannery
Corn
100 bags cont.
doz
10
tons
1250
lbs
27 quart crates.
17
59
quart boxs
475
00
11 qt baskets with covers
12.5
00
apple barrels
5
27
orange crates
2
63
cabbage sacks
1
15
Sugar bags for corn & vegetables
4
65
"
Canning Co.
besides 9 truck loads of Turnips
Carrots Cabbages Cauliflowers &
peppers taken to Hamilton Market.
Packages
used
Total Gross Sales for year
Sales
Muskoka Sales
8.749.57
Sales
Commission House
3212.01
Sales
Local Dealers
1466.21
Sales
Canning Factories
894.94
{Sales}
Hamilton Market
175.00
Total
$14,497.73
Net Sales
6900.00
Total Expenses
7597.73
some of the heavy expenses
Total
Daily wages were
1540.85
Total
Estimate Berry pickers SB {strawberries}
742.42
"
Estimate berry pickers Rasps
250.00
"
Estimate Plum
"
133.25
Pear
"
48.00
Total
Total
Total
$1173.67
Estimate cherry pickers
Total
320.00
$1493.67
Packages acct. as follows.
1759 crates 25¢
$450.00
47.500 berry Boxs $7.00
$336.00
12.500 11 qt crates bskts
$1080.00
Brot from last page
1860.00
516 apple barrels 67¢
353.09
263 Cabbage crates 15¢
39.43
580 Sacks & bags 10
58.00
Total all packages
2310.52
14 cars manure
$960.03
Trees from Davidsons
276.50
Nelson Taxes
265.70
Flamboro Taxes
393.75
Hot Bed Sash & Lumber
77.00
Glass & Cotton
27.75
Spray Material
113.25
Small seeds
20.36
Clover
36.25
"
Rye
"
25.00
Oat
"
20.00
Some Totals of expenses Year 1922
Manure total
960.03
all Fruit packages
2310.52
Total fruit picking piece work
1493.67
"
Daily wages
1540.85
"
trees
276.50
"
Taxes
659.45
"
Hotbeds fixtures
104.75
"
spraying expense
113.25
"
seeds
101.61
For more information on Franklin McMillan, check out the “Meet the Diarists” section under
“Discover” on our website: ruraldiaries.uoguelph.ca
1922
Transcribed by Rural Diary Archive volunteers
{Front Cover} 1922
Diary
1922.
Frank McMillan
Burlington
Jan 1st Sunday, new Years Day, very cold this morning. zero.
Jan 2nd still cold below zero yet, no electric lights. no Radial cars till noon. Election Day: we
voted in both townships.
Jan 3rd milder this morning and snowing a little. Yesterdays Election returns are in East Flamboro
Peter Rae Reeve, and alt. Easterbrook. Deputy Reeve in Nelson Irving. Reeve By accl. H.T. Foster
one of the councillors , in Burlington Hobson again for mayor & Harris for Reeve. Burlington won
first of their O.H.A games with Ham. Tigers in overtime play score 4-2
Jan 4th Raining all day roads very icy
Jan 5th Rainting Raining yet this am ice all gone. turning cold again tonight
Jan 6th went to Burlington to Dr Pearts. have sore eyes, inflammation he says.
Jan 7th moderately cold fine winter weather. no snow.
Jan 8th Weather fine eyes very sore Lillies getting sore now. Dr says it is. Pink eye Jan 18th Eyes have been to sore to write anything since Jan 8th. they have been very bad. Dr
here 4 or 5 times also a nurse for 6 days Lillies did not get as sore as mine. Charlotte just had a
touch of it the weather has been fine and moderately cold
Jan 20th My Birthday eyes improving some but unable to go out yet.
Jan 21st Fine & Bright nice winter weather.
Jan 22nd Sunday coldest & roughest day of the winter. Strong gales & snow flurries from the
west. up all last night. nurse & Dr arrived this morning nothing doing yet tonight.
Jan 23rd Bright and very cold
Jan 24th. very cold nurse here yet but nothing doing
Jan 25th Still very cold eyes not better yet.
Jan 26th. Doris Lillie McMillan arrived about 6.20 this morning weather fine & moderately cold.
Jan 27th Fine & moderately cold have not been able to do anything for a month nearly.
Jan 28th Fine & no snow. Burl. won last O Ha Game with Beaver of Ham. score 6-2. They won 6
out of 8 games. and win district Honors they lost one game to Grimsby and one to Ham. Tigers.
Jan 29th Sunday fine & warm had Lillies folks out to see the baby
Jan 30th Fine & mild no snow
Jan 31st Fine & mild. was out for the first took a walk down to Johns. have to wear goggles
Feby 1 cool & cloudy looks like rain Phoned for a couple of cars manure promised one next week
Feby 2nd Rained all night heavy wind today & turning cold again
Feby 3rd moderately cold had Chevrolet agent around trying too sell us a truck. they are to dear
$1950.
Feby 4th Fine & cold
Feby 5th snowing and raining a little had Stanley Long & wife & children in to see us
Feby 6th Fine & mild, wrote some letters ordering seeds, manure and fruit baskets & crates.
Feby 7th Fine & mild thawing again am afraid this winter will be hard on Strawberries no snow all
winter leaves all frozen brown now
Feby 8th Very cold again, had Ford agent around about a truck worth around $900.
Feby 9th mild again Burlington lost Hockey game last night with Brantford score 4 to 2. Lehman.
Burlington goaler hit on nose badly cut. Received card car of manure shipped Feby 6th.
Feby 10th nurse left today charged $108 for 18 days some pay Eh.
Feby 11th Burl lost H. Game at Brantford 6 to 0 Ice soft. Game very rough Summers of Burl.
Knocked out and Wilson was drunk no wonder they lost. was down town this morning first since
Jan 7
Feby 12th Sunday cold with strong west winds & some snow
Feby 13th cold. car of manure car of manure arrived this P.M.
Feby 14th John had Mr Jordan helping unload car of manure
Feby 15th went to Hamilton got license for car. no 58892. also got. Tomato, Cabbages & Pepper
seeds. turning cold again
Feby 16th very cold. clear & frosty.
Feby 17th very cold coldest this winter about 6 below zero.
Feby 18th mild again today raining tonight.
Feby 19th mild had a thunder and lightning storm in the evening
Feby 20th Fine & mild like spring heard some crows. cleaning up barns getting ready to put
baskets in.
Feby 21st Fine, trimming trees, started getting in 1000 crates from Applefords. at 25¢ also berry
boxs at $7 00 per 1000.
Feby 22nd Rained & sleeted all night, and all day today. (applefords driver says the hill is very icey
Feby 23rd every thing all covered with ice yet, never saw so much on the trees. lots of limbs
broken also lots of wires down, no electric lights last night nor tonight rained today at noon and
warm this afternoon ice nearly all gone by night and every thing flooded. by bed time ground frozen
again and blowing heavy gales from the west. took 3 snapshots of the orchard with ice on trees
hope they are good. (note. turned out good)
Feby 24th very cold this morning about zero, one of the Packing Houses all blown to pieces some
time last night.
Feby 25th Cutting down 40 more Clapps pear trees. now only about 15 left out of 200. all blighted
was down town at night first night since Jan 3rd.
Feby 26th mild & cloudy Sunday had Mr & Mrs B. Mr & Mrs Penn and Mr & Mrs Stan Long out.
Feby 27th Snowed a little this morning we all motored to Hamilton to see about a hired girl also
Electric Washer. went to Loews at night with Mr B. did not get home till after 11 oclock.
Feby 28 Turned very cold again last night getting in baskets. 11 qts crates $68 00 for 1000 slat
covers $20 + Leno's $22.
Mch 1st cold & cloudy. got two more loads baskets in.
Mch 2nd Fine & moderately cold trimming trees.
Mch 3rd. Fine & clear trimming apple trees. some job. a lot of dead in them.
Mch 4th Fine. started unloading car of manure this afternoon & making hotbeds. the car was 8
days on the road.
Mch 5th Fine & mild was down home for tea.
Mch 6th Fine & warm. like spring heard a robin. unloading manure and making hot beds
Mch 7th Rained all night showery this morning sowed part of our seeds some Peppers, Cabbages
& Tomatoes.
Mch 8th. Sowed balance of Tomato pepper & Cabbage Seeds. sowed 4 ozs. Ruby Giant pepper 2
ozs Pimento Pepper about 8 ozs our own hot pepper
4 ozs First & Best tomato
6 ozs John Baer
"
6 ozs Copenhagen Cabbages in forty four sashes. cold last night but clear & frosty today.
Mch 9th milder today East wind bright & clear fine hotbed weather
Mch 10th East winds & mild Cabbages up already sowed on Mch 7th, Trimming old orchard.
Mch 11th. cold east wind fixing sash in the barn Mch 12th Sunday. motored to Ham. had dinner at Mrs Barlows & tea at Lillie's Mother's weather
fine just like April.
Mch 13th Fine, trimming trees.
Mch 14th. Fine & warm, ordered 40 new hotbed sashes at $1.65 each from Nicholsons and 3 boxs
glass from Mains at $6 00 per box ordered Ford Truck today. complete with License $9.25,
delivery May 1st
Mch 15th Fair & mild trimming trees
Mch 16th. Colder with very cold north west wind, finished trimming trees.
Mch 17th Very cold & frosty, north wind, fixing hot bed sashes in the barn.
Mch 18th Making more hotbeds for transplanting Cabbages
Mch 19th Sunday cold & cloudy heavy east wind, looks like a storm
Mch 20th. Rained all night and some showers this morning have a car of manure in but John and I
both have colds we are getting Geo H. & Mr Jordan to unload it tomorrow
Mch 21st First day of spring ground all covered with snow this morning, and had snow flurries all
morning, winds north west & colder - unloading manure
Mch 22nd Very cold with strong north west winds. finished car of manure and put Earth on
hotbeds.
Mch 23rd Sowed 4 sash of Chalks Jewel Tomatoes and started transplanting Cabbages
Mch 24th Finished transplanting Early Cabbages 40 sashes 200 to the sash... total about 8000
Mch 25th Have a bad cold did not go out all day.
Mch 26th Sunday cool and showery
Mch 27th. Cloudy & very mild transplanting tomatoes.
Mch 28th Very cold again this morning, planted some
more Tomatoes in the afternoon
Mch 27th Raining all day went to Hamilton and got Electric Washer. Blue Bird cost $114 00
wholesale retail price was $155 00
Mch 30th One of the worst storms of the winter snowed all morning raining & sleeting this
afternoon man started work this morning at $14.00 per week.
Mch 31st Rained & snowed all night looks like real winter this morning ice & snow over everything
and cold north wind blowing hotbeds all covered with ice & snow frozen on them can't open them at
all.
April 1st. Very cold ground covered with snow, Transplanted one frame of Tomatoes too cold had
to stop
April 2nd Sunday cool & cloudy was down home for tea.
April 3rd Cool & East winds transplanting tomatoes.
April 4th made hotbeds for peppers & Transplanted Tomatoes about one half of what we done
before the ice storm have droped over April 5th The man that started last week only worked one day never came back. hired another one
today. Very cold & cloudy with strong East wind
April 6th. working at hotbeds cool & cloudy.
April 7th. Strong south west winds & very mild. fixing doors on barn and just finished transplanting
tomatoes 90 sashes.
April 8th started transplanting Peppers Harrowed Asparagus & men drawing brush out of the
orchard
April 9th Sunday.
turned very warm this afternoon. went over to Roy Bells for tea.
April 10th Very warm transplanting some more peppers went to Hamilton for some Clover seed,
Corn etc. Paid $31.25 sash
April 11th Rained all night and till noon today. every thing flooded, turning cold tonight.
April 12th Very cold with high west winds. unloading car of manure.
April 13th Cool. Cleaned weeds off old strawberry patch
April 14th. Good Friday cold north east & East wind cloudy started raining in the evening finished
transplanting pepper & started uncovering strawberries they look good seem to have come through
winter alright, hired Geo Chapman to look after our berry pickers at $25 per week for 10 weeks
April 15 cool with north East wind. uncovering strawberries
April 16th Sunday Fine home all day. Doris has been sick for about a week.
April 17th Heavy thunder storms this morning every thing flooded made hot-beds in the afternoon
April 18th Cold with high winds uncovering strawberries started man plowing for the first it is
pretty wet yet.
April 19th Cold with high south west wind started raining again in the evening finished uncovering
Strawberries started filling up Blackberries
April 20th. Very cold and windy with some snow Flurries
April 21st. Sick in bed today with the Flu. & Bronchitis
May 2nd out of bed today first time since April 21st. have had some house with sickness
myself Lillie and both children also the first nurse took it and now Lillies mother in bed John & men
transplanted Tomatoes 2nd time on April 24th 25th 26th 27th. also put in Oats & Clover seed in the
orchards on April 27th & April 28th.. Sowed 3/4 lb Carrot seed on April 29th. on May 1st. started
planting some Strawberries, and May 2nd started putting out Cabbages down home: 6000 there.
May 2nd 3rd & 4th. Planted Strawberries back of cemetery. the weather has been fine. no rain.
May 5th Cloudy. planted trees finished planting Cabbages May 6th Rows - 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, are
Grand Duke Rows 3, 5, 9, are Reine Claude Rows 2, 7, 11 are Bradshaw. starting next road..
Some plums Burbanks & Abundance out in blossom.
May 7th Sunday cool & windy had a light shower last night
May 8th Planting strawberries yet. also cut first asparagus 5 doz sold in Toronto at ______ $1.60
a doz
May 9th Planted Golden Bantam sweet corn & pumpkins also planting strawberries - weather,
cold & cloudy East winds
May 10th Finished planting SBerries filled up young Rasberry patch. poor prospects for Rasps.
this year, every thing frozen. only young patch left.
May 11th Very warm today sowed Late Cabbages 2 ozs Copenhagen. and Cauliflower 2 ozs.
Erfurts. shipped 8 baskets Grass. sold at $2 50
May 12th FIxing up sprayer men hoeing bushes
May 13th Planted Potatoes. Got new Ford Truck cost $925 bright & sunshiny today but very cold
wind. feels like frost tonight. some strawberries in blossom and all the plums pears & cherries in full
bloom. Have to catch the early train tomorrow morning it starts on daylight time at 550
May 14th. Sunday cool, with strong East winds.
May 15th Fine & warm hoeing old strawberries patch.
May 16th. Hoeing strawberries fine & warm
May 17th: Hoeing strawberries weather showery.
May 18th Dug Blackberries out which had Orange Rust also hoeing strawberries stopped at 4
oclock by rain.
May 19th. Hoeing strawberries showery again. Had Ida over to spend the day.
May 20th.. Rained again about 11 oclock and for the rest of the day, ground getting too wet now.
Asparagus $2 75 today.
May 21st Sunday Fine & warm was down to see Uncle Archie he is pretty low. guess he will not
last much longer.
May 22nd Fine & warm. went to Hamilton to get some seeds. basket fasteners etc. men hoeing
Cabbages cut 12 bskts {baskets} asparagus sold at $3.25 bskt {basket} in Toronto
May 23rd Planted yellow corn & pumpkins, & marked ground for Tomatoes.
May 24th Planted cukes. also sowed carrots again too thin last time. sowed first 12 rows next
orchard and last part half way
past Radish hole in drill. 1 lb seed. started planting Tomatoes in the afternoon got about 4600 out.
May 25th Showery. planting Tomatoes
May 26th Fair & warm finished planting Tomatoes 17 500 plants
May 27th. Planting Peppers heavy & cold north wind blowing about 5000 Hot. 1500 Pimento 3500
Sweet Ruby Giant.
May 28th. Sunday Fine & warm was down to the Beach and over to see Will Bell.
May 29th. Started Spraying at noon. a little over 3½ gals Lime Sulphur & 5¼ lbs Lead (Powdered)
per tank. Men hoeing new strawberries
May 30th Spraying all day weather fine
May 31st Spraying yet
Good Prospects for fruit Lots of plums & apples. half crop pears & cherries.
June 1st. Finished spraying today 22 tanks - 2 lbls Lime sulphur 125 lbs Lead
June 2nd. Weeding & Hoeing started rain about 4 oclock.
June 3rd Fine & warm. all the crowd cleaning up hotbeds
June 4th Sunday Fine & warm was down at Hicks for tea
June 5th. Hoeing & cultivating and finished cleaning up hot-beds. Dealt Ford Truck off for a Reo got what we paid for ford $925 Reo cost $2100.
June 6 Fine & warm. hoeing
Junr 7th Hoeing Cabbage second time ought to have Cabbages in a couple of weeks
June 8th Picked first strawberries 3 crates shipped to Toronto sold at 27¢ box
June 9th. Three men cultivating others hoeing. very warm over 90 in the shade
June 10th. Had a very heavy rain in the night. lightning and thunder. very bad. Sowed Turnip
seed. sowed half way past Turnip hole in the drill.
June 9th (cont) Uncle Archie died this afternoon funeral on Sunday.
June 11th Sunday. every thing flooded in the night. Thunder storm started about 10 oclock last
night and kept up one after another all night till after 4 this morning. it is now about 10 oclock and
Thundering again went to Uncle Archies funeral weather turned out fine.
June 12th Picked 30 crates strawberries
off the old patch. they were awful sandy. shipped to Toronto sold at 28¢ and 30¢
June 13th. Picked strawberries guess they dropped in price sold in Toronto at 20 and 22¢
June 14. Picked 41 crates. sold some north at $5.00 crate and some to Ross Hart at 15¢, Sold in
Toronto at 16¢
June 15 Picked 49 crates SB. today. only shipped 13 crates north Balance to Toronto. sold at 18¢
there
June 16th. Picked 66 crates but stopped by rain, did not get nearly over them sold 29 crates to
Smith at 14¢. 19 crates north at 15¢ and 18 crates to Toronto at 18¢
June 17th Had very heavy thunderstorms again in the night every thing flooded today nothing
doing
June 18 Cold & cloudy looks like rain. Sunday
June 19th. Drove to Toronto with 80 crates Berries sold 40 at 10¢ here. Shipped balance north at
12¢ and to Toronto had a big day 254 crates in all.
June 20th. Fine & Cool picked 234 crates SB. Today getting very cheap. sold 83 crates north at
10¢ some here at $2 40 shipped balance to Toronto. sold at 9 & 10¢ {Side note} Reo Truck
delivered today it looks fine
June 21st Picked 125 crates shipped north at 10 cents box
June 22nd Picked 124 crates shipped north at 10¢ Crop a failure nearly done. could have sold
500 crates today
June 23 only picked 77 crates today sold at 12¢ north. have picked 1028 all told up till tonight
(Friday).
June 24 No picking today. was weeding carrots also planted out Cabbages very warm had to put
old berry boxs over them. also sowed turnip seed over again, last never came up. ground got all
hard & crusty after the big storms. sowed about half way past turnip hole in drill I drove to
Wabasso Park. with {Marocle?} crowd arrived from St Thomas, The Reo truck goes fine.
June 25 Sunday. clear & very cold.
June 26 Clear & cold picked 124 crates berries sold mostly at 15 cents. also 14 Richmond
cherries at $1.00 and 7 crates Cabbages for the first at $2 00.
June 27th Showery only picked 69 crates, planted out Cauliflower
June 28th. Picked 107 crates not very many orders
had to ship 100 54 crates to Toronto sold at 14¢ 50 crates nth {north} at 15¢
June 29th Picked 66 crates straw-berries. shipped mostly to Toronto. shipped 56 bskts Richmond
cherries & some Cabbages up north.
June 30th Very warm today. only picked 34 crates strawberries they are nearly done July 1st Saturday showery in the morning nothing doing all day
July 2nd Fine & warm
July 3rd Picked 22 crates SBerries and a few cherries 29 bskts
July 4th Still picking Berries and Richmond cherries
July 5th Picked the last of the strawberries had 1484 crates: only a light crop.
July 6th Picked first Raspberries 2 crates shipped to Toronto sold at 27½¢ also finished picking
Richmond cherries averaged about 90¢ bskt. Started picking Montmorency 68 bskts at $1 00 per
bskt .
July 7th Cherry market all shut selling as low as 50 cts in Toronto only picked 58 bskts to ship
north. Blowing heavy gales from south west. blew alot of cherries off and bruised them on the trees
badly.
July 8th Fine & moderately warm Hoeing old strawberry Patch.
July 9th Sunday Fine & cool
10th Picking cherries selling north at 80 cents cut 28 crates Cabbages 80 & 90¢
July 11 Very warm, cherries badly bruised. picked 21 bskts Green Peppers
also 1 bskt tomatoes peppers sold at 90¢ tomatoes sold at $15.0 {$1.50} tomatoes very poor crop
this year.
July 12th Orangemans day pickers scarce. only picked 100 bskts Cherries. heavy rain at five
oclock.
July 13 Fine & warm picking cherries & cutting cabbages
July 14th Picking cherries Have picked 978 bskts up till today Friday night.
July 15 Cut 25 doz Cabbage for Hart at 50¢ doz. Picked 12 crates Rasps. went to market with 9
crates sold at 20¢
July 16th Fine & warm, home all day.
July 17th Cut 25 crates cabbages & 6 sacks picked 130 cherries & 27 bskts tomatoes. shipped all
north. had a couple of light showers.
July 18th Picked cherries at 80¢ 14 Rasps at 21 cents 23¢ & 24¢
July 19. Picked cherries 80¢ 18 Rasps shipped Toronto sold at 23 & 24¢ 17 tomatoes at $1 50.
34 peppers @ $ 60 to $100 { $0.60 to $1.00} weather fine & warm.
July 20. Fine picking Cherries & Raspberries.
July 21 Picking cherries & Rasps fine & warm.
July 22 Sat picked Black Currants 9 baskets in all.
July 23rd Sunday. Showery. Lillie played organ at Meth. Church.
July 24th Picked last of Red Cherries. picked first apples 75 bskts sold @ 50¢.
July 25th Picked Rasps all day 28 crates, also picked first plums 6 bskts Willards shipped north at
75¢
July 26th Picked Rasps all day 29 crates.
July 27 Picked Morello Cherries & Raspberries
July 28th. Very warm. finished picking Morello cherries total cherries picked this year 1605. 350
less than last year. Picked first Lawtons 5½ crates shipped north at 20¢, also picked Rasps at 25¢
& 54 tomatoes at 60¢
July 29th Sowed some buckwheat on old strawberry bed, also planted some Cucumber seed am
afraid it is too late (it was no good) Have 1625 Berry crates & quart Boxs in now bot from Dalton
for 15¢ each delivered here.
July 30 Fine & very warm had dinner & supper at the beach.
July 31 Showery nearly all day. picked between Showers.
Aug 1st. Rained very hard in the early morning. picked rasps tomatos & plums. Red June & Shiro.
Aug 2 Picked plums at 50¢ & 60¢ Rasps & Lawtons apples tomatoes Cukes & Peppers but every
thing cheap - raining again at 5 oclock.
Aug 3
Nothing doing today no orders only for Tomatoes. and we had none.
Aug 4 Picked tomatoes only about 90 bskts at 50¢ 75 plums at 40¢ & 50¢ A few Lawtons &
Rasps.
Aug 5 Sold Ross Hart 50 plums 12 Cukes & 15 doz Cabbages - Cutting oats rest of day -
Aug 6 Sunday Raining all afternoon & evening Lillie played organ at Church.
Aug 7. Picked 153 toms {tomatoes} sold 50¢ 70 plums 40¢ a few Cukes 25¢ Berries &
Cabbages. a shower at noon. and a big storm at 4.30 every thing flooded.
Aug 8th Picked the last of our Raspberries today only had 225 - crates this year.
Aug 9 Only 70 bskts tomatoes today at 50¢ Plums 30¢ apples 40, very cool nights.
Aug 10th Light to day no Tomatoes only a few plums & apples
Aug 11th. Busy today 190 toms {tomatoes} at 50¢. 90 plums 30¢ 15 appls 40¢ 70 doz corn 18¢
10 doz Cabb 50
Aug 12 Picked 300 bskts plums sold Smith 200 at 25¢ Hart 25 at 30¢ shipped Balance Aug 13 Sunday fine & warm
Aug 14. Very warm & very busy. sold Smith 50 plums @ 25 N.P.G. 88 toms @ 40 Picked 276
bskts toms and 275 plums, also 20 apples 80 doz corn and 10 pears & peppers
Aug 15 Another hot and busy day. picked 365 plums all together 595 bskts fruit besides 80 doz
corn 2 crates berries
Aug 16. Busy again today. John sick. very hot heavy thunder storms at Aldershot and Oakville.
had light storm here
Aug 17th only shipped 300 bskts today and 90 doz corn more showers went around very hot here
Aug 18. Warm yet picked plums at 25 apples 40¢ Tomatoes 40. Cukes 22½ 100 doz corn 15¢
Aug 19. Picked 205 plums at 23¢, also some cukes corn etc.
Aug 20 Sunday fair & cold Lillie played organ at church had Dad. Effie Hattie & Lillies folks for
the day.
Aug 21 Fine & cool picked 519 bskts today tomatoes at 30¢ plums 25. Gages 40¢ Corn 12½.
Cabb 40 doz. pears 50¢ apples 35¢
Aug 22nd not so busy today orders dropping off Aug 23rd Picking plums and Tomatoes prices no good 25¢ up north. Toronto no good at all, prices
noted on the papers. say, Tomatoes as low as 15¢. plums 20¢ Cukes 10¢. Corn as low as 3¢
Aug 24 Started picking Tomatoes for Canning factory at 45¢ a bushel.
Aug 25. Shipped 200 bskts fruit north. also 3 loads toms {tomatoes} to Canning factory.
Aug 26th Sold Ross Hart 2 loads today, 160 plums at 20¢, 40 cukes 18¢, 19 crab apples at 30¢
25 sweet Peppers 35¢ 100 doz corn 12¢ 5 doz Pumpkins 1 00 {$1}
Aug 27 Sunday fair & cold Aug 28th not very busy for monday. picking Tomatoes for factory and a few plums & Tomatoes for
orders.
Aug 29th Raining all morning picked a few Pears & plums for orders.
Aug 30 Orders scarce and everything cheap Aug 31 orders a little better today about 250 bskt in all.
Sept 1 no orders at all hardly, raining in the afternoon.
Sept 2 Sold Hart 140 bskts fruit - and a few Pumpkins and some corn
Sept 3rd Sunday fine & warm.
Sept 4th. Had quite a lot of orders today about 300 bskts but every thing cheap.
Sept 5th only orders for about 30 bskts, sold all the Bartlett pears down to 2¼ in at 2½ cts lb to
Harvest Co'y {Company}.
Sept 6th Picking tomatoes for cannery, and Pears for Harvest Co'y. hardly any orders.
Sept 7th. Finished Bartlett pears 145 bus. avereaged $1 45 per bushel, while we had only been
getting 35¢ per basket up north. Had more orders today. 178 bskts in all
Sept 8th Picked Howell pears only had 41 bskts this year no orders today total only 50 bskts
Sept 9th Saturday nothing doing at all.
Sept 10th Sunday. very warm for this time of year thunder shower in the night
Sept 11th. Rained all night and up till noon today picked tomatoes for canning factory in the
afternoon Sept 12th. Picked 180 bskts fruit for our orders. also tomatoes for factory, they close tonight put
283 bus in yesterday and today, all told 11 00 bus.
Sept 13th. shipped nearly 200 bskts on orders also 100 bskts plums to Toronto to try them and 50
peppers. also took a load Tomatoes to Aylmer Canning Co. Geo Chapman stopped work tonight.
Sept 14 Raining again all day took 35 bus tomatoes to Hamilton factory nothing else doing
Sept 15. Picking quite a few orders also 5 blls {barrels} Colvert apples.
Sept 16th Picked a couple loads for Ross Hart. 15 bags Carrots at 55¢ bag 25 doz Cabb at 35¢
Tomatoes @ 22¢. Peppers 30¢
Sept 17. Went up to Hamilton on the truck. had dinner & tea.
Sept 18th. Picked about 250 bskts & 5 more blls {barrels} apples. weather cool & cloudy.
Sept 19th. Rained all night and raining yet till noon fixed barrels in the barn and shipped a few
orders in the afternoon.
Sept 20. Fine & warm. picked 50 bskts and 4 crates Cauliflower for Ross Hart @ $1 25 crate
Burlington Fair was today John and all the rest gone.
Sept 21 Fine & warm. not very many orders today moved McGrath back to Hamilton. brought 20
bus Rye out $1 25 bushel. started ploughing yesterday.
Sept 22nd First day for a long time that we have had no orders, very warm cutting out Blackberry
canes.
Sept 23 Fine & warm sold Ross Hart one load Cabbages 50 doz at 35¢ and one load mixed
Grapes 33¢ peaches 35 Tomatoes 23¢ Reine Claude plums 25 Cauliflower 1 25 crate Carrots
55¢ a bag
Sept 24 Sunday. cool & cloudy. home alone all day Sept 25 Ploughing tomato patch. picked some peppers & pears. and started picking apples. had a
light frost this morning but did not do any damage
Sept 26th Frost again this morn- but no damage done. picking Cranberry pippin apples no orders
at all today
Sept 27th. Finished picking Duchess & Sheldon pears also last 10 bskt tomatoes
Sept 28th. Sowing rye on tomato patch also picking apples. Fine & very warm
Sept 29th Picking Greening apples picked three trees 80 bushels Mrs Smythe buried today very
warm weather
Sept 30th Fine & very warm picking Greening apples
Oct 1 warm as summer went to Hamilton for tea.
Oct 2nd Very warm packing apples. picked two barrels Kieffer pears.
Oct 3 warm like Summer picking & packing Greening apples.
Oct 4. Picked 161 bskt peaches @ 30¢ 52 bskt Grapes 27¢ for Ross Hart. Shipped some Hot Red
peppers to Toronto we picked them all green and put in berry shanty, and the weather so warm,
they are nearly all red now.
Oct 5 Warm & fine picked & packed 46 barrels Spy apples today. (four of us)
Oct 6. Fine & warm picked last of peaches & 24 bbls {barrels} Baldwin apples. Charlotte very sick
with summer complaint since Tuesday Oct 3rd has eaten nothing only water
Oct 7th Picking apples in the morning. packed in barn in the afternoon as it was raining very hard.
Oct 8 Sunday cool & cloudy Charlotte still very sick have a nurse now. had Dr Clark Specialist
tonight ordered Charlotte to Hospital
Oct 9. Lillie & Doris went to Hamilton to stay Charlotte very bad.
Oct 10th. Weather fine packing apples. Charlotte no better.
Ot 11th Loaded Car of apples for Hutchison Bros 174 blls {barrels} winter apples @ $3 25 30
Cranberry Pippins $2 50 6 pears at 325 {$3.25} - Raining in the afternoon
Oct 12th Picking apples Charlotte worse went to Hamilton before noon Dr only gives her 24 hrs.
Oct 13. stayed nearly all last night in Hospital Charlotte very low. Doris has it but not very bad.
Charlotte a little stronger tonight.
Oct 14th Charlotte about same John fell out of apple tree yesterday. has very bad ankle
Oct 15th. Charlotte seems a little stronger today.
Oct 16th Monday fine & warm packed apples (C just same
Oct 17th. Turned very cold in the night. packing apples
Oct 18th Weather fine & cool still packing apples.
Oct 19th. Loaded car of apples
83 bbls {barrels} for A E Johnston Sundridge @ $3 00
66
"
"
P J Mann Bracebridge @ $3 25
22
"
W J Troyer Magnetawan @ 3 25
Oct 20 picking Kieffer pears for Harvest Canning Co Sold them at 1¢ per lb for {2 inchs} pears &
upwards.
Oct 21st Sold Ross Hart 176 bags Turnips at 30¢ 25 bags Carrots 50¢ and 4980 lbs Cabbages at
9 00 per ton. Charlotte improving.
Oct 22nd Spent all day in the city did not see Charlotte she now crys after leaving her. weather
fine took a walk up the mountain.
Oct 23rd Drawing pears to Hamilton & sending out a few orders showery in the morning cleared
up at noon.
Oct 24th Finished drawing pears got had 180 bushel to the Harvest Co. got Charlotte out of
Hospital went to Lillies mothers.
Oct 25. picking & packing apples yet. weather frosty.
Oct 26 Finished picking apples have some to pack yet weather cool.
Oct 27. Sold Ross Hart 87 bags Turnips & 52 bags Carrots 5230 lbs Cabbage worked till nearly
ten oclock tonight loading them.
Oct 28 star packing apples and started loading the last of the apples Oct 29. Sunday fine & cool. staying in Hamilton yet Charlotte improving but very thin & week yet
expect to come home on Tuesday.
Oct 30th. Finished packing apples. 53 bbls {barrels} to Hanna at $3.00 54 bbls to E B Farwell at
$300 {$3.00} and a few small orders
Oct 31st Brought Charlotte home from Hamilton this morning it sure is good to all be home again
still have a nurse. Drawing in corn stalks all day. looks like rain.
Nov 1st. Getting ready for market for the first time. looks like rain.
Nov 2 Went to market today had a few light showers got home at half past three every thing
cheap and hard to sell Turnips 30 & 35¢ Carrots 40¢. Peppers 30 & 35¢ Cauliflowers 50 to $1.50
box Cabbages about 35¢ doz.
Nov 3rd Drawing in corn had over 150 bushel getting ready for market again
Nov 4th went to market again looked like rain but did not. got home at noon.
Nov 5 Sunday. Fine & warm was home all day.
Thanksgiving Day.
Nov 6th Raining all morning got load ready for market in the afternoon. Had Mr & Mrs B. out.
Nov 7th Went to market was home at noon. vegetables very cheap. Cabbages 30 to 40¢ dozen
Carrots 35 & 40¢ Turnips 25 & 30¢ Cauliflower 75 to $1.50 Peppers 30 to 40¢. We are going to
getting our mail R R Route in a few days Nov 8th Took two loads today to Hamilton 1 load Turnips 20¢ bus {bushel}. 1 load Carrots 35¢
and got load ready for Market
Nov 9th Went to market finished with Cauliflower & Peppers today
March 10th Took two loads to Hamilton today. heavy
frost this morning. Jerry Fishcarrier left Thursday noon - only Jack left and Geo Hammond
ploughing part of the time.
Nov 11th Was at market sold out at half past six. had nearly all Cabbages
Nov 12th Sunday. Had visitors Dean B. & Roy & Will Bell.
Nov 13th Heavy frost this morning cut load of Cabbages for market and started unloading m 2nd
car of manure. putting in Raspberries
Nov 14th went to market with last load of the year about 60 doz Cabbages made about $20.00
did not get home till 5 oclock, mild. rained at night
Nov 15. Started unloading 3rd car of manure with the truck, weather cool & cloudy Nov 16th Finished car of manure and started spreading on the ground Nov 17th. warm & very heavy south west wind drawing manure & cutting out Raspberry bushes.
Nov 18 Rough & showery man ploughing.
Nov 19 Sunday. cloudy and a little cooler
Nov 20th Cool & cloudy turnning out Raspberry bushes.
Nov 21st Same job trimming berry bushes. Geo. H. ploughing.
Nov 22nd Looks like winter this morning
ground covered with snow for the first time at Berry bushes till afternoon started another car of
manure. Went up to City, Lillie & Myself to the Grand. saw. Chu Chin Chow. it was very good but
to high in price cost $550 {$5.50} for two seats but was the first show in 2 years for us.
Nov 23rd finished car of manure at noon. started on another we are getting from Alex Bell from
Hagersville. drawing from Freeman, as they never told the agent to send it down till way freight had
gone.
Nov 24th Cold and cloudy with snow flurries finished car of manure.
Nov 25th. Finished cutting out berry bushes. Geo. H. ploughing, ground frozen some moved Jack
Stevenson in to Hamilton.
Nov 26th. Cold & cloudy. snowing a little at night
Nov 27. Some snow on ground this morning unloaded another car of manure. Had Geo. H. & Mr
Jordan helping.
Nov 28th Unloaded another car today quite a lot of snow. and getting cold tonight.
Nov 29th Windy & milder unloaded another car of manure -
Nov 30 Milder, mowed down old blackberry patches another car of manure in for tomorrow.
Dec 1st Unloaded car of manure was bad day for the job very windy. turning very cold tonight.
Dec 2nd Burning & cleaning up Blackberry patch & Raspberries.
Dec 3rd Fine & mild. Had Grandpa up for dinner.
Dec 4th Unloaded last car of manure this fall had 10 cars in fall 4 cars in Spring cost $960.03.
weather very fine in the morning but cloudy with east winds at night looks like rain.
Dec 5th. Rained a little in the night, but very cold all day with heavy north west wind. Finished
cleaning out berry bushes. also finished team ploughing and put in fence posts around hotbed
grounds. looks like freezing up now.
Dec 6th Ground frozen this morning. Covering strawberries have G. Hammond & F. Jordan
Dec 7th. Covering strawberries cold this morning ground frozen solid, a few snow flurries. and
rained & freezing all after noon Dec 8th. Raining & freezing all morning. Cleared
up at noon. Had Lavene Kerns helping to put on & fit storm sashes.
Dec 9th. Cold & cloudy finished putting on Storm sashes. cost $40.50 for sash $1.50 for paint
$6.00 for carpenter $48.00 in all for the 10 sash. three years married today.
Dec 10th. Cool & Bright ground frozen solid. Just like winter. Had Mr & Mrs B. out for the day.
Dec 11th. Covering strawberries finished tonight. covered about 6 acres and about 6 acres old
bed not covered beginning to look like a storm.
Dec 12th. Windy & cold this morning drawing manure into Raspberries stopped about 11 oclock
too windy John Chrissie Ida & Hattie and our family all down home for Chicken dinner. Very cold
tonight.
Dec 13th Very cold today nearly zero last night.
Dec 14th. not quite so cold today. but snowing all day.
Dec 15. Very cold again all day. with a couple of inches of snow on ground.
Dec 16. Cool & frosty. started fixing some of the crates in the barn. but Keeps me busy going twice
a day to Johns to do chores
as he is not able to put his foot down to the ground yet.
Dec 17th snowing this morning (Sunday), turning cold tonight quiet a lot of snow arrived in Los
Angeles 3 years ago today.
Dec 18th Fair & very cold some sleighs out Dec 19th. Fair and not quite so cold. went up to the city for a few presents. also hunting up some
barrels & Orange boxs, have some promised.
Dec 20th Cloudy and a little milder trying to deal old car off but nothing doing yet.
Dec 21st Cleaning up the truck after drawing manure. weather milder.
Dec 22nd Went in to Hamilton to Carrolls and got 121 Orange Crates at 10¢ each. Got a load of
coal two tons from Fred Thomas Waterdown had to pay $20.00 per ton it seems an awful price.
weather milder tonight. looks like snow or rain.
Dec 23rd A little milder but cloudy drove around delivering some Xmas presents.
Dec 24th Sunday was home all day. had Bells drop in with a Xmas present
Dec 25th Xmas Day went up to Hamilton
for the day all had a good time I guess. Weather was mild thawing off the snow. got home about 8
oclock.
Dec 26th went up to the city for some barrels got 135 from McDougall at 25¢ he owes me some
money for carrots, looks like rain.
Dec 27th. Cloudy and getting colder.
Dec 28. Cold north East snow storm all day. looks like real winter
Dec 29th. Cold & clear real winter weather
Dec 30th. Have a bad cold inbed all day.
Dec 31st Sunday. Raining all day, and very icey.
Total Amounts of fruit And Vegetables sold during this season
strawberries
1484
crates
Raspberries
225
"
Lawtons
50
"
cherries
1605
Apples
450
"
apples
516
barrels
Plums
4475
baskets
pears (all
varieties)
910
Baskets
"
" Bartletts
145
bushels
" Kieffers.
180
bushels
pears Kieffers.
11
barrels
peaches
313
baskets
Blk currants
9
baskets
Grapes
87
x 6 qt bskts
Cabbages
175
orange crates
115
bags
"
sold loose
118
doz
"
sold loose
5 tons
120 lbs.
Asparagus
164
bskts
Tomatoes
3040
bskts
1194
bus.
Cucumbers
386
bskts
Cauliflowers
88
crates
Peppers
1068
bskts
1000
dozen
Turnips
263
bags
Carrots
102
"
Pumpkins loose
8.
"
"
Burlington Cannery
Corn
100 bags cont.
doz
10
tons
1250
lbs
27 quart crates.
17
59
quart boxs
475
00
11 qt baskets with covers
12.5
00
apple barrels
5
27
orange crates
2
63
cabbage sacks
1
15
Sugar bags for corn & vegetables
4
65
"
Canning Co.
besides 9 truck loads of Turnips
Carrots Cabbages Cauliflowers &
peppers taken to Hamilton Market.
Packages
used
Total Gross Sales for year
Sales
Muskoka Sales
8.749.57
Sales
Commission House
3212.01
Sales
Local Dealers
1466.21
Sales
Canning Factories
894.94
{Sales}
Hamilton Market
175.00
Total
$14,497.73
Net Sales
6900.00
Total Expenses
7597.73
some of the heavy expenses
Total
Daily wages were
1540.85
Total
Estimate Berry pickers SB {strawberries}
742.42
"
Estimate berry pickers Rasps
250.00
"
Estimate Plum
"
133.25
Pear
"
48.00
Total
Total
Total
$1173.67
Estimate cherry pickers
Total
320.00
$1493.67
Packages acct. as follows.
1759 crates 25¢
$450.00
47.500 berry Boxs $7.00
$336.00
12.500 11 qt crates bskts
$1080.00
Brot from last page
1860.00
516 apple barrels 67¢
353.09
263 Cabbage crates 15¢
39.43
580 Sacks & bags 10
58.00
Total all packages
2310.52
14 cars manure
$960.03
Trees from Davidsons
276.50
Nelson Taxes
265.70
Flamboro Taxes
393.75
Hot Bed Sash & Lumber
77.00
Glass & Cotton
27.75
Spray Material
113.25
Small seeds
20.36
Clover
36.25
"
Rye
"
25.00
Oat
"
20.00
Some Totals of expenses Year 1922
Manure total
960.03
all Fruit packages
2310.52
Total fruit picking piece work
1493.67
"
Daily wages
1540.85
"
trees
276.50
"
Taxes
659.45
"
Hotbeds fixtures
104.75
"
spraying expense
113.25
"
seeds
101.61
For more information on Franklin McMillan, check out the “Meet the Diarists” section under
“Discover” on our website: ruraldiaries.uoguelph.ca
