Alexander C. Geddes Diary, 1834-1836

Transcription

Alexander C. Geddes

Any person at all acquainted with the details of a farm will at once see that this place has been ill used. The proportion of land for turnips is out of all proportion.

=== Wednesday 19 March 1844. === Harrowed out Field No. 2 with Scotch Barley say 7½ Acres or about 7 Bolls. Winnowing wheat was thrashed yesterday - say 14 Bolls. I filled the fanners with the whole - very hard work Harrows going all day - finished both the parks sown.

=== Thursday 20 March 1844. === Tired today that I have over worked myself yesterday - very unwell and stiff in all my limbs worked home today. Afternoon went over to Anguston - who was at the Cairns - Queen Anne went to Mart Mill of Cruden and got a load of meal from that to the maes where we found Laugabow and Bogton very merry - drank a glass of grog with them and called to see Robt. Welsh who was gone into town for advice about his eyes. Thence called on the Schoolmaster and at 8 P.M. arrived at home very very weary.

=== Friday 21 March 1844 === Tired myself worse today having slept scarcely any all night - walked over to the Castle Garden, but quite unable to work. Candler and the Carts into town for lime

=== Monday 24. March === Out at the plough on Peter Crofts. Sowing by Caulet in the evening. Lay 3 Rolls Oats. Ploughed a little myself.

=== Tuesday === Go to Town

=== Tuesday 1. April 1834. === Walked from town this morning - Found the Oat sowing all over the Clear Land 21: the ground which was in Turnip last year. Were gathering stones and preparing for the plough. This field contains 13½ acres, four of which are intended for Barley Beer. In the afternoon the Harrows going over it in order that the ploughing may be more uniform. The first fine showers which have fallen this spring.

=== Friday 4th April. === Since Tuesday continues ploughing. Now Harrowing down the Oats which have been sown this morning on the lower or North end of the Park. - N. B. From its size called the Long Croft. Fine showers all day.

=== Tuesday 8 April. === Ploughed part of the Long Croft today. Went Employee taking up Turnips. There will hardly be enough to sow till the grass be ready. Thin parts of Oats shewing briers today.

=== Monday 14 April. === All the Turnips sown today. Thrashed out half a rick of Potato Oats and Winnowed and Cleaned 10 Rolls for the market on Friday. Sold at 15/s a Boll. In the afternoon Harrowing and ploughing for the last of the Oats for the BarleCleaning Turnip seeds. It is impossible to be too positive on this point. It ought to be winnowed & sifted until no vestige of any other matter be seen amongst the seed.

Saturday 19. April 1834. Commenced sowing the upper part of the Long Croft with Oats (common). Sold two 3 year old Meers or young Stots, to Mr. Calves, Butcher Aberdeen @ 12£ 10s each - a very good price, but very good cattle. There are now three of our Cows Calved - very late.

Monday 21. April. Harrowing the Long Croft - Rolling Field No. 1. Bair looking well in consequence of some nice showers which fell on Saturday & yesterday. Sowed 4 Acres of the Long Croft with Barley Beer. He a Boll to the acre. The whole of this field now sown. Miscellaneous sowing & Croft seeds and rolling & Harrowing every body busy being the last day of the Lent Calves.

on this farm. -

Tuesday 22nd April - Men turning & driving dung, and slaking lime shells. - Ploughed a part of the potatoe field. - Ploughed ten furrows myself. - Eggs in the Dewhurst's nest. -

Wednesday 23rd April 1834. Go to town today

Thursday 1 May 1834. Returned to Coldstream from Aberdeen. Potatoes planting. - Ploughing land for turnips with 4 Horses yoking.

Saturday 10 May 1844 From 1st till this date the general routine of farm work. Yesterday the cattle were put upon the grass, which is looking wery bare and dry, but the few heavy showers which came on last night will make a great difference on it soon. The poor animals, who for the last 10 days have had nothing but straw looked wery melancholy all that time for want of green food, the turnips being all done. Went with Cauldie to my brother James's over to Mr. Sanderson's roof at Swain. Three milch cows sold here as high as twelve pounds six on average.

Monday 12 May 1844. Sold Mr Gibb at Bridge of Die, seven stott at nine pounds a head. To be sent over on Wednesday 14th for the roup at Kilduthie which takes place on Thursday.

Wednesday 14 May - Went to Tillyoch, Parish of Echt, to Mr Strachan's roup of displenish. - a very dull sale, and terrible rains - cattle giving not near their value. Returned home at 7 P.M. soaked to the skin.

Thursday 15 May 1844. Kilduthie's roup took place today. - A perfect antipodes to that at Tillyoch. Everything sold very high particularly Cauldie's stotts - none of which sold under nine and some above twelve pounds. Mr Thomson, Kincrigford judge at both of these roups. The country since yesterday is quite changed in its appearance all things looking green and fruitful, and every prospect of plenty for man and beast. - the calves were this day

put out for the first time. It is necessary to have a person in the field with them and to tether them with a rope, as their heads are very light through confinement and are in consequence apt to hurt themselves in running round.

Saturday 17 May 1844. Yesterday & today very rainy. Finished ploughing the park for turnips beside the Clachan, & commenced ploughing the park on the head of the hill. All the weeds were burnt on Thursday. Mem: Weeds cannot be too carefully picked off, and all hands should be employed for a day or two in dry weather after the Brackets arrow has been going in collecting. Fallowing the land is excellent in destroying weeds, but great care must be taken in the operations on it - see Fallow.

1834 September 20

Quebec - arrived here this day at 8 A.M. Same evening sailed for Montreal in the Splendid Steam Ship "Canada" and arrived there on Sunday morning the 22nd at 3 o'clock A.M. === 22 === We encountered a severe storm of wind, lightning & thunder with rain on Sunday evening and during all that morning, were detained in Lake St. Peter by thick weather.

23

At Montreal

24

Left Montreal at 5 in morning for the West Country by the Ottawa Route and arrived at Aylmer at 7.

26

Arrived at Bytown (Ottawa) and were prevented proceeding up Country by the sickness of children & the want of a boat.

30

Removed to Lower Bytown to a house rented from Mr. Clegg.

October 16

James Davidson's family arrived this evening, having had a passage of 7 weeks and two days to Quebec.

=== 18 === Saturday. The Davidsons departed to day for Toronto, on their way to the farm which their Brothers have purchased at Copex Creek 45 miles from Hamilton. The appearance of the sky to day has been most extraordinary. The sun during the forenoon was of a blood red color, and about one O'Clock it became as dark as gloaming, the clouds of dingy copper color, and at times, hot and sulphurous breaths of wind came from N.W. The darkness continued till 4 P.M. when the evening again cleared up. It had all the appearance of an Eclipse of the Sun.

=== 23 === Wednesday. The stove arrived to day from Montreal and was fitted up and lighted - smoked abominably at first.