Franklin McMillan Diary, 1928

Title

Franklin McMillan Diary, 1928

Creator

Franklin McMillan

Source

Courtesy of Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph

Date

1928

Language

English

Coverage

20th Century, Halton County, Nelson Township, Ontario

Date Created

January 1, 1928

Is Part Of

Franklin McMillan Diary Collection

Medium

Scanned Manuscript

Transcription

1928

Year 1928

Sunday Jan. 1st 1928


New Years Day came in cold. after about a week of mild weather turned cold last night with some snow flurries. Thermometer was 14 at 11 a.m. today with strong west wind. Jan 2nd. monday also cold as New Years. had John and family up for dinner. Saw N.Y. heard the football game and also about The Rose Tournament in Pasadena which was broad cast from about 57 stations all over the State. Buerle Auto Float won 1st prize.

Jan 3rd. weather has been real cold since last Sat. night. about zero each night but hardly any snow.

Jan 4th. Weather about the same. wrote for prices on tires from Maloney Bros Danville H'wy. Heard the great Dodge Bros Victory Programme to-night at 10:30 to 11:30 P.M. Broadcasted by 47 stations estimated 30 million people heard it. It was announced from Hollywood by Will Rogers also heard Whiteman's Band in New York. All goes on + 7 tube Atwater Kent $96.00 for the Radio broadcast. The new Dodge car out tomorrow

+ 4 at Montreal + Ottawa clear and loud on the radio.

Jan 5th. weather some milder today.

Jan 6th. Fine + mild snow all gone. did not have much this winter so far not more than inch or so at a time.

Jan 7th. Still mild & thawing smith working at hut shed: sashes will have to get some new ones or some of the old ones done

Jan 8th Sunday- mild & cloudy sat up until 2:30 this am listening on the Radio. was extra good last night. Had {KSO?} & {Desmoines?} + {CKY?} Winnipeg so loud had to turn them down also had {KFI?} {Los Angeles?}. Lost the Kyrgys[?]

sunrise was {K.F.S.D} of San Diego only a 500 watter had it off & on long as we wanted it. clear & fine.

Jan 9th. Have heard from Maloney retires prices low Delux 25" Chains 35 ½ 4 & Tubes 37 ½ guess we will need a couple of hundred to fill in.

Jan 10th. weather still mild & cloudy, no snow and thawing.

Jan 11th. Still mild & thawing but mostly cloudy.

Jan 12th. Ordered 25 new fluted sashes cost with putty strips about $8.50 each + Glass no. cheap $3.45, {} weather still mild & cloudy.

cost for cash yet 5% off. $66.25 for 25% less. also order from Maloney Bros Danville, N.Y. to be shipped about April 10th. .175 bushel 40 shins 5 ½ Duke, 5 Maloney plums 25 ½ 10 pears 30 ½ 10 cherries 35

Jan 13th. Went to Hamilton got chov license no. 106953. weather still mild and cloudy, hope the thawing it will be hard on fruit trees + leaves.

Jan 14th. mild & cloudy some rain. frost all out some people ploughing.

Jan 15th. Fine & clear but some cooler. Pools claim colder weather coming tonight, down to Toronto. getting very cold tonight.

Jan 16th. Cloudy, some milder, some sleet + rain in the afternoon, roads very icy, large skating on the cement roads. went to Lodge first time for a long time.

Jan 17th. Fine + mild went down to Ketts for the day.

Jan 18th. Fine + mild just like spring, running all day, conditions ideal for it! grand day + no snow.

Jan 19th. Ordered seeds from Stokes call. 1/28 cop. mkt 1 ½ $0 1 oz Viking Pep. Mkt 70¢ 1 oz early snowball cauliflower $1.50 2 oz green pack extra 20¢ lb.

Walkerville Perfect 225 $ 1 oz Harris early giant pepper 75¢ 16 oz Marglobe tomat 50. Total $4.70

Jan 20th. Turned cold last night. frozen up. cold again and blowing a gale from the west 4 Temp 30° at 5 p.m. tonight celebrated my birthday by going to Hamilton and getting two teeth filled.

Jan 21st. Cold + windy.

Jan 22nd. Sunday not so cold but windy. drove to Hamilton to see Bro. Chownman. had first lectures (a nail).

Jan 23rd. Fine + mild just like spring again, running {}.

Jan 24th. Raining nearly all day, fixed sash in the morning, moved Smith's boat into the house in the afternoon

Jan 25th. Colder and very windy, painting bedroom.

Jan 26th. Colder. Snowed until now 4 or 5 inches Smith fixing sash clear & cool tonight

Jan 27th. Cold 2 below zero this morning at 8 o'clock paper hanging. same job.

Jan 28th. Still cold but bright. Smith fixing sash.

Jan 29th. Clear + cold drove up to {Reo} Chapman for supper

Jan 30th. Very cold 8 below zero this morning, still working upstairs papering and painting.

Jan 31st. Not quite so cold 12 above zero

Feb 1st. Windy with snow squalls. had to go to Hamilton for more paint

Feb 2nd Partly cloudy {glass} the ground hog saw his shadow alright as we have six weeks more winter still at the papering it is some job.

Feb 3rd Getting milder safe at the same job

Feb 4th. Milder Thawing + looks like rain painting door today, snow all gone again. Feb 5th. Cold again every thing frozen solid. Doris has a bad cold, and the rest of us feeling punk Feb 6th. Moderately cold all have colds. Feb 7th. Raining all afternoon. went to Fruit Growers meeting. Having an agreement made re fruit marks act, some want to have all new packages sealed and wrapped. Doris had [some] apple pears + [tomatoes] but every person wanted some thing else from the other fellow- so it was decided to leave it as it is for another year. Freezing tonight had an awful time getting home. Car turned right around and slidd off on the grass sideways in front of the Baptist Church Feb 8th. Raining this morning but fine this afternoon. Still putting on paper Feb 9th. Paper Hanging yet some job. Feb 10th. Fine + mild finished painting and papering the four up stair rooms

Feb 10th. Got Truck License 84750 - no C. 20238. Car, manure arrived this afternoon.

Feb 11th. Alarm 3rd Brilliant day - a very fine day. Thawing. Spent unloading car of manure.

Feb 12th. Sunday Fine

Feb 13th. Fine & mild

Feb 14th. Raining nearly all day.

Feb 15th. Cloudy & mild Thawing all day.

Feb 16th. Weather about the same cloudy & mild

Feb 17th. Some colder - made 6 new fluted frames and turned pile of manure getting ready for lettuce.

Feb 18th. Colder again 4 Below zero night of 10 p.m.

Feb 19th. Sunday one of the winter coldest days strong westerly gales. Few snow flurries and lots of dust blowing.

Feb 20th. Cold & blustery with some snow flurries Toronto's grads won the world's hockey championship with hardly any Americans on team, in the three games were: Toronto 11, Swedens 0. Toronto 14, England 0. Toronto 13, Switzerland 0.

Feb 21st. Cold & clear 3 below at 8 a.m. today. Got 4000 - 1½" bolts in from last night & this morning.

Feb 22nd: Mild again, thawing some more running.

Feb 23rd: Put up 24 stakes for the first flat beds of the season. Turning colder again.

Feb 24th: Real winter again today, cold with some snow flurries.

Feb 25th: Sowed first Seeds. 8 oz. Copenhagen Lettuce, 1 oz. Viking Cabbage, 1 oz. Snow Ball Cauliflower, 8 oz. World Beater Pepper, ½ oz. Harris Giant. We done all Stokes Seeds also 4 sack our own field pepper seed & 1. Weather very cold but sunny, 3 below at 8 a.m. some report as low as 10 below.

Feb 26th: Sunday fair did not get very cold down to 7 below.

Feb 27th: Fair & cold, doing some more pruning & drawing wood out of orchard.

Feb 28th: Pruning & drawing wood & making a few more hotbeds also put in a load of slabs from sawmills.

Feb 29th: Drawing wood etc. a little colder.

Mar 1st: Windy, cold & a few snow flurries. Finished getting in "196 bolts" and about ½ ton from last year. Started to paint our kitchen.

Mar 2nd: Cold & windy painting Kitchen

Mar 3rd: Cold only 8 from zero at 8 a.m. Some snow flurries again. Sowed Tomato Seeds together, Beef 4 oz, Frost 4 oz, Best 1½ oz, Canadian 1 oz, Stoke's Half Dole 1 oz, Ponderosa 1 oz, Pink Brandyman 1 oz, Black Cherry 1 oz, 2000 Ildomane 1 oz, Red Cherry 1 oz, 5000 Libomispleen 1 oz, Red Klumis to be shipped April 10th. Stevens said 23 rd also ordered from H. Emsley, Stove. Stevensville Mich. 2000 Sheloon 30c lb 1000 lbs Copper Savannos of 625s.

Mar 4th: Sunday Very cold only 10 from zero at Bedtime windy with snow blizzards most of the day.

Mar 5th: Clear cold & windy 8 from zero at 7 a.m. The big race from Los Angeles to N. York started yesterday it is 3400 miles 278 started 1st place wins $25,000 not 7 got 25 or more divided P. Granville of Hamilton Canadian Champion Walker is in it.

Mar 6th: Still cold near zero last night, made another hot bed today, more Callery's, but lot did not come up good.

Mar 7th: Sowed another frame of Copenhagen Celery & Stoke's Early Seed 1 oz nearly ¼ of 100% weather cold & very windy

Here's the full transcription from the image:

Mar 7th: Kitcheners win. Sen. 6 H.A. fund Toronto Variety. Score on the two games 6 to 4.

Mar 8th: Fine today, finished building a new fice[?], closet and drawing wood + brush Toronto wins Junior 6 to 4 finals for new market score on the two games 4 to 3.

Mar 9th: Port Colborne wins Intermediate O.H.A. final from Kitcheners Score 2 to 1 on the round of two games.

Stormy today, storming and drifting like real winter the worst storm this winter most snow + wind.

Mar 10th: Windy today, lots of snow - weeding before above a good catch.

Mar 11th: Sun day, mild and partly cloudy.

Mar 12th: Fine + mild went to Dr. McFarland to see about my eyes. New fying[?] starts famous.

Mar 13th: Cloudy + mild big rain after dinner Toronto Marlboros beat the Soo. in Junior Play off 2 games score 13 to 3.

Mar 14th: Unloading car of manure roads getting muddy.

Mar 15th: Froze hard again this morning finished car of manure – South Porcupine Seniors Beat Port Colborne Intermediates last night 4 to 0 after.

The transcription from the image is as follows:

Mar 16th: Weather still cold and finger so cold killing up manure & gathering brush Toronto Marlboros (Juniors) lost in the Semi finals Tonight with Ottawa Juniors score 3 to 2.

Mar 17th: Cold but bright very around to borrow and till 10 o’clock fetching Brush all day. Kitcheners defeat South Porcupine 11 to 3 in the two games in Semi final Senior Hockey games.

Mar 18th: Sunday cold & cloudy for church. Isabel went to Hamilton to see Mrs. Mays for tea.

Mar 19th: Cold & windy finished drawing brush some big job.

Mar 20th: Unloaded ten car of manure in the morning also started transplanting Callerys after dinner windy but a little milder.

Mar 21st: Making hot beds all day.

Mar 22nd: A little milder, transplanting more callerys, also started on tomatoes.

Mar 24th: Very warm over 76 in the sun at noon transplanting all day Tomatoes & peppers, had to do some watering too.

Mar 25th: Some ice on the roof raining.

Mar 26th: Monday transplanting peppers. Wrapped with some light thunder showers in the evening. Regina wins Junior Canadian Championship Hockey from Ottawa. After a tie on the first two games, wins the 3rd by score of 7 to 1.

Mar 27th: A change in the weather this morning. Thermometer at 18. And evening is blowing a blizzard.

Mar 28th: Still cold & windy with a few snow flurries and lots of dust blowing. Some drawing manure out on the land with the sleigh, no snow though.

Mar 29th: Still cold & cloudy, got a few more tomatoes transplanted. Manitoba University won Senior Hockey championship by winning 2 games out of three from Montreal. W. Russell D of 25 Davenport St. Hamilton re-grafted Plum trees they done last year but did not grow very good.

Mar 30th: Another blizzard of snow storm from the east all day.

Mar 31st: Clear & cold, drew manure to the field on the sleigh, good sleighing in the morning.

April 1st: Sunday, clear & bright & some warmer still some snow on the ground.

April 2nd: Fine & warm; unloading another car of manure. Very muddy; got stuck with the truck.

April 3rd: Another light thunder shower this morning. Still going to see about my eyes to Dr. McFarlane; seemed a little better today. Charlotte sick since Sat. Jewel to Maitland.

April 4th: Fine & warm; transplanting peppers, etc.

April 5th: Fine & very warm; finished transplanting. 75 in the shade, as hot as summer; 2000 blackcurrant plants (meneescant?) arrived. Root castings; they are very small but look like good roots.

April 6th: Good Friday; very warm, 75; painting furniture at back of John's. John ploughing for blackberries.

April 7th: Planted blackberries in the morning. Raining after dinner; getting cooler tonight.

April 8th: Easter Sunday. Like winter again; very heavy gales from the West. Earth snow flurries; temperature below 30 all day.

April 9th: Drawing manure & fixing drains; still cold. Thermometer 24 at 7 AM this morning and just as cold tonight.

April 10th & 11th: Drawing out manure and fixing big drain. Putting in sand well, some job - drain in bad shape a lot of sand in it.

April 12th: Spreading manure and started weeding peppers. Aunt Effie died in Wesleyville, Pa - this afternoon.

April 13th: Still cold & windy. Left here at 3:10 for Wesleyville with Hecks & John. Arrived about 10:45 P.M., 173 miles.

April 14th: Raining in Wesleyville nearly all day. Effie was buried at North East - some name for a town - about 11 miles the side of Wesleyville. It was pouring rain and a gale blowing when we were at the cemetery. We did not go back. Came straight on home. A dandy highway right through to Buffalo about 92 miles. Made 75 miles from North East to 7 miles from Buffalo in 2½ hours. Turned very cold & windy near Buffalo. Blew a hurricane all the way home. At Burlington Beach Park at the Canal [dwellers] blowing right across the highway. I got home before 11 P.M. after stopping at John’s & Heck’s. Made it in less than seven hours.

April 15th: Sunday. Cold & cloudy, windy and a few snow flurries. Temperature 24 tonight at 7 p.m.

April 16th: Started spraying plums & pears with oil. 7 gallons to tank. Got one tank on everything going wrong.

April 17th: New planting trees. Got 4 tanks of spray on today, weather still cold. Ground covered with snow this morning.

April 18th: Spraying. Got 5 tanks on. Still planting trees.

April 19th: Unloaded car of manure. Very cold and one of the worst gales of the season.

April 20th: Very cold this morning, ground frozen. Finished oil spraying, 2 tanks, 12 tanks in all. April 21st: We received Buds on Sweet Cherries, afraid not many will grow. Started snowing & raining about 3 p.m. at 9 p.m. tonight, ground covered with snow, still snowing.

April 22nd: Still cold & cloudy.

April 23rd: Started unearthing strawberries, tomatoes in jail for being drunk.

April 24th: Cold & cloudy, have a bad stretch in my back making out income tax papers.

April 25th: Uncovering strawberry, windy and very cold.

April 26th: Unloading peppers, etc., not quite so cold but cold at night, freezing, ice every night.

April 27th: Finished uncovering strawberries, the new beds look green but now very light. Old beds look bad. Started transplanting tomatoes.

April 28th: Planted cucumbers, 5 sacks, also planting some tomatoes in lines 4½ & 5½ in. Think 5½ in. are small enough for some slow work. Also planted 1st strawberries. 12 Rows next. Jerry's shack, 12 bloom plants from Baldwin.

April 29th: Sunday, windy but a lot warmer. Went for a drive out to Carlisle, took a few snaps by a creek there.

April 30th: Cold & showery all day, planted a few more strawberries.

May 1st: Fair but cool, planning strawberries.

May 2nd: Started planting four celery beds; fine & warm, about 68°.

May 3rd: Finished planting celery, 14,500 and 500 cauliflowers, warm but partly cloudy. They wilted quite a bit but guess they will come up all night.

May 4th: Very warm, 92 in the sun at noon planting strawberries & transplanting tomatoes.

May 5th: Turning cold again. Planting strawberries, that's planting tomatoes.

May 6th: Sunday, cold & cloudy, went to Cholokka Falls, also Dundas with Hicks.

May 7th: Cold this morning. Planted 3 bags of potatoes, 20 lbs beans & 10 lbs peas, transplanting tomatoes, watering, etc.

May 8th & 9th: Planting strawberries & transplanting tomatoes. Have about 17,000. We think weather fine & warm; cut 4 slabs of grass or maybe for 10 that.

May 10th & 11th: Very warm like summer. Finished planting strawberries, about 9 acres. Large patch in cherry orchard very dry. Ordered eleven cars of manure, 6 for cherry covering, last shipment, 1st by now all to arrive in Nov. 3 & 5 cases hotted. Jan 15th & 30th Feb 15th & 25th & Mar 10th.

May 11th: Planted sweet corn & pumpkins, very dry now, watering cooler tonight & strong winds.

May 12th: Very cold northerly wind today, light frost this morning. Started hoeing strawberries.

Sunday, May 13th: Drove as far as Dundas Park in the afternoon.

May 14th: Sowed carrot drill seed. Sowed just past + half way past tension hole in drill. Trying to get drill set just right without turning carrots.

May 15th: Warm + dry hoeing old strawberry patch. Not much good by the looks of it.

May 16th: Cloudy + looks like showers. Cut 10½ last grass. Have already shipped 22 lots sold from $8.20 to $8.30. Hoeing old strawberry bed. Had Mr. Braggs off.

Winn Cup around yesterday, says he wants them again.

May 16th: Hoeing strawberries, colder + starting to rain in the evening.

May 17th: Showery all day, planted Raspberry suckers.

May 18th: Cloudy + damp. Put salt on asparagus, 2 sacks Nitrate of Soda on cherry orchard. Planted 15 lbs more beans. Others mostly rotten + eaten away with wire worms, as many as five in a leaf.

June 2nd: Cold again, finished planting out hot frames, put sashes inside and filled up frames. Thermometer down to 40 late tonight, too cold.

June 3rd: Still clear & cold west wind.

June 4th: Hoeing, cultivating, etc. in the morning, cold & cloudy, and raining all afternoon, temperature 44 this evening.

June 5th: Cold & showery all day, cleaned up hot beds, part of the time.

June 6th: Strawberry again, only worked half day, cleaning up hot beds.

June 7th: Finished cleaning up hot beds. Started sheltering cucumbers.

June 8th: Planted out cauliflowers. Another shower in the night.

June 9th: Planted 6 lbs. potatoes, also 2 lbs. sugar beets, weather turning cold tonight, down near 40 at bedtime.

June 10th: Sunday, fair, cold along with west wind, drove up to 2 Mills Summer Resort.

June 11th: Started spraying, got on 6 tanks, 54 lbs. lead, 3 1/2 lb. lime sulfur per tank.

Weather fine & resumed hoeing & cultivating strawberries. Some heavy, but still spraying 6 tanks more on. Seems to be a fair crop of cherries, got a few plums but bullocks look light, and no pears at all.

June 13th: Finished spraying 16 tanks in all. Would take about 20 tanks if a crop of pears. No pears so only gave them a sprinkle & slight blunder; shower in the afternoon.

June 14th: Cloudy, looks more rain. Heavy & cultivating.

June 15th & 16th: Heavy hoeing & cultivating, warm in daytime but cool nights, nearly frost.

June 17th: Sunday, fair but cool east wind. Had supper (picnic) near Arcade, called on T. McWilliams on the way home.

June 18th: Started to weed carrots, small rain after dinner and all night.

June 19th: Rained some more this morning. Cleaned up muck and cleaned tiles & drains after dinner. Everything flooded.

June 20th: Hoeing corn, tomatoes & strawberries. Pretty wet yet.

June 21st: Raining again this morning. Hoed raspberries & put nitrate on. Picked in the afternoon. June 22nd: Picked first 13 crates 14 x 36. Fruits shipped to Toronto. Sold at 70 cents, 23 + 25 + pints more, showers, and berries very dirty. June 23rd: Sat. more rain, both morning + afternoon + night. June 24th: Sunday, fine, drove to Guelph, had picnic supper in the park. June 25th: More rain in the night, picked 46 more crates. Berries dirtier than ever after so much rain. Received $4.09 for each crate (34 pints) shipped on Tuesday, also 7 crates jam sold at $2.50. June 26th: Cultivated + weeded carrots. Some job. Been stopped so often by rain but got down this time. June 27th: 41 crates strawberries we shipped Monday to Toronto, sold 31 at 84 cents, 150 at 94 cents, 50 at 104 cents, some drop since Sat., 233 + 254 pints picked, 62 x 36 pints. Sold today at 104 + 134, average about 124 cents per pint. June 28th: Fine + warm, hoeing + cultivating. June 29th: Friday, raining again this morning, dirt.

June 30th: Showers in the morning, picked 35 x 36 lb. shipped to Toronto, sold at... July 1st: Sunday, warm, went to La Salle Park about 5 PM and had picnic. July 2nd: Very warm, must have been 90 in the shade as it was 103 in the sun beside the barn. Berries soft & really cooked, taking most of them to Upham's Jam Factory. July 3rd: Very warm again, picked 66 crates of strawberries. July 4th: Warm yet about 90 in the shade. They say only picked 57 crates today, some of the year. July 5th: Fine + cool, shipped 78 crates of berries to garden parties, not all. 164 took balance of 23 crates to Jam Factory. July 6th: Only 48 crates of berries today, sold 18 at 164 at Balducci Factory. July 7th: Very warm again, about the hottest this year, hoeing all day.

July 8th: Sunday, very warm, 94 in the shade, they say. Went to Van Wagner Beach with Hammonds.

July 9th: Very warm yet. Picked 87 crates of strawberries. Had a shower in the evening. Picked first cherries, 6 baskets Early Richmonds.

July 10th: Warm again. Picked 36 crates of cherries, sold at 65 cents.

July 11th: Spraying cherries, put 6 tanks on today, 55 ½ lbs lead and 3 ½ gals lime sulfur.

July 12th: Spraying again, sprayer went plumb. Got 2 tanks on by 9 o'clock. Picked 35 crates Richmonds and 20 crates Callery.

July 13th: Finished picking strawberries, only had 243 x 36 pint crates and 432 x 12 quart crates. Started to shower about 4 p.m.

July 14th: Pulling weeds out of old strawberry bed. Some job.

July 15: Sunday, fine. Stayed home all day.

July 16th: Picked 60 crates Richmond cherries at 60 cents, also 15 crates sweets bobs at 80 cents. Expected a lot of them, but nearly all rotten. Cut 61 crates Callery at 75 cents. Picked first beans, 6 crates, 60 cents.

July 17th & 18th: Picking cherries, etc.

July 19th: Big rain all night. Wet until noon. Picked 47 crates of cherries, all varieties. Started on Montmorency.

July 20th: Nothing doing. Raining & wet all day. Picked only 10 crates of cherries. Made some new ladders.

July 21: Picked first raspberries, 5 crates. Pints shipped to Toronto. Cooler today. Sold at 204, 196, 184.

July 22nd: Sunday. Rained all night and all morning in torrents. Everything flooded. Drain by the cistern washed out again.

July 23: Our biggest day this season. 227 baskets of cherries, mostly at 85¢. 37 crates of Callery at 65¢. 36 crates of beans at 50¢. 6 crates at 75¢. 1 pepper (first) $1.00. 2 crates of mammons (first) $1.50.

July 24: Orders lighter today. Picked 152 crates of cherries & 6 crates of raspberries.

July 25th: Picked 181 crates of cherries today. 10 crates of Callery, 10 beans, 10 cukes, 2 mammons. Fine & very warm.

July 26th: Picked 225 crates of cherries today. Also 25 crates of peppers sent to Toronto. Sold at 90¢ & $1.00 for the 20 crates sent July 24th & 25th.

July 27: Started raining hard about 7:30. Only picked 63 cherries between showers that lasted all day.

July 28: Another shower at 6 a.m. Picked 11 crates raspberries, very wet, sold at 9¢ in Toronto.

July 29th: Fine & cool. Went to Puslinch Lake with Hicks for a picnic.

July 30th: Picked 211 crates cherries at 80¢ and 50¢, 50 crates cherries at 50¢. Beans, 4 crates mammons, $1.25 & $1.50. 25 Callery at 65¢, 14 cukes, 50¢ x 5 beans, 40¢.

July 31st: Fine & warm. Sold 103 x 36 lbs at 50¢ & 154 x 11 crates cherries at 80¢.

Aug 1: 212 baskets cherries & 7 crates raspberries, warm & looks like rain. Callery drain blocked up again.

Aug 2: Very warm, picked 105 x 11 crates cherries, 80¢ and 192 x 6 crates cherries, 50¢. Picked 4 x 11 qt & 1 x 6 qt tomatoes, sold at 80¢, last.

Aug 3: Very warm, several showers last night and several thunder showers went north of us today but looks like rain again tonight. Only picked 105 crates cherries today.

Aug 4: Cut 2 loads Callery for Scott at $11.00 per ton. Price no good.

Cabbage crop no good, very small. Also picked 9 crates raspberries and sold that. 107 cherries & 16 cukes.

Aug 5th: Sunday, rained last evening and nearly all night. Had more showers this morning. Picked first cherries, did not get much done, only picked 35 crates cherries.

Aug 6th: Cloudy and a few light showers. Did not get much done, only picked 35 crates cherries.

Aug 7th: Picked 128 cherries at 80¢ & 31 crates, 23¢, 25¢, 11 tomatoes at $1.00, 5 bags Callery at 14¢, 10 slims plums 60¢, 6 apples 4¢.

Aug 8th: Very warm, picked 148 cherries at 75¢ & 80¢.

Aug 9th: Cherry orders slowing up, picked 50 baskets tomatoes 75¢. Just about finished up Callery. Took a load to Scott at $11.00 per ton.

Aug 10th: Very warm night, picked 50 crates, 60¢, 65¢ cherries, 5, 58, 11 qt, and a few tomatoes 60¢.

Aug 11th: Sat., not much doing, picked 30 tons at 55¢, cooler today.

Aug 12th: Sunday, picnicked at Guelph with Johns & Hammonds, 25 there in all.

Aug 13th: A very busy day, a lot of cherries.

Bill Smith off drunk again. Picked 86 tomatoes at 50¢, 174½ plums 50¢, 16 cukes 25¢, 43 peppers 50¢, 119 cherries 75¢, total 409 baskets & 7 crates. Weather fine & warm.

Aug 14: Weather fine. Picked 64 plums at 40¢, 78 tomatoes at 40¢, 35 cukes 25¢, 15 apples 30¢, 27 cherries 75¢, 7 cabbages 65¢, total 219 baskets & 7 crates.

Aug 15: Fine & warm, orders not very plentiful. Sold yeast 25 plums, shipped 50 peppers & 28 plums & tomatoes, and 167 baskets & 23 crates cabbages, etc.

Aug 16: Picked 128 tomatoes 30¢, 128 red plums for Hart at 30¢, and shipped about 40 cabbages, very warm weather.

Aug 17th: Shipped 200 baskets Victory, also 100 dozen corn at 30¢.

Aug 18: Sat, not much doing, picked 25 cukes, 20 tomatoes, 15 plums, 100 dozen corn.

Aug 19: Sunday, fine. Drove to Eden Mills.

Aug 20: Very busy today, 267 baskets tomatoes, 95 plums, 50 cukes, 7 peppers, 93 dozen corn.

Aug 21: Busy again, about 400 baskets tomatoes & plums, 30 cukes, 75¢.

Aug 22nd: Busy again. Picked 189 plums at 27¢, 28¢ & 30¢, 64 cukes 17¢, 100 doz corn 21¢. Weather fine.

Aug 23rd: Not so busy today. 235 baskets and 110 doz corn (all up north).

Aug 24th: Not so many orders. 175 baskets north, had a shower from about 9:30 to noon.

Aug 25: Sat. Picked 302 baskets Burbank plums for Hart & Scott at 27¢ & 28¢. Shipped 27 baskets, 3 crates north.

Aug 27th: Orders heavy again & Smith drunk again. Sent about 100 baskets tomatoes, but shipped 288 tomatoes & 186 plums and 11 peppers & 72 doz corn and 82 cherries.

Aug 28th: Finished up today on cherries (2 baskets). Have been practically done since Aug 15th, but have been picking a few baskets daily since. Had 386 x 11 qt of Richmonds, 2459 x 11 qt Montmorency, 445 x 6 Montmorency, 82 x 6 Sweets.

Had a big storm this afternoon, very heavy thunder, high wind, lots of trees broken down also a regular downpour of rain. Shipped 180 tomatoes and 85 plums today.

Aug 29th: Picked 160 Burbank plums for Hart at 30¢. Shipped about 50 at 35¢ & 40¢ for Blues.

Aug 30th: Another showery night. Slept about 7 hrs this morning. Our telephone out of order until this evening. Did not get all orders filled. Reduced 4 rows at 4 PM. Some tomatoes over ripe now. Took 27 bushels ripe ones to the canning factory, 45½ bus.

Aug 31st: Great, a few orders for Friday.

Weather fair & cool. Quite a change. Will soon be fall.

Sept 1st: No orders today. Madge and I went to Toronto Ex, got home about 10 o'clock. We quit. Stayed at Uncle John's. It was a lovely day.

Sept 2nd: Sunday, fine. Did not do a thing, placed behind allot the fair. Mr. & Mrs. Cutler's called.

Sept 3rd: Labor Day, not so many orders. Had a few showers but managed to get our orders out.

Sept 4th: Picked 162 plums but only 75 tomatoes, also 16 Clapps Favorite Pears at 25¢. Finished corn had 843 doz, sold for highest 30¢ & lowest 15¢, about $150.00 for the lot.

Sept 5th: Picked 155 plums price 30¢ to 40¢, 110 tomatoes 30¢, 27 pears at 75¢.

Sept 6th: Not many orders today, 80 plums, 60 tomatoes. Took 55 bushels to canners, also shipped 42 Red Peppers to Toronto, sold at 4 sweets 75¢ & 80¢, (lots to $1.00 to $1.50, best).

Sept 7th: Finished on Burbank plums total 1202 baskets, not so many orders, only 65 tomatoes, 10 peppers, 100 plums, 6 pears, corn.

Sept 8th: Sat. Pulled 27 bags carrots for Hart at 80¢.

Sept 9th: Sunday, went with Cutthroats to Brantford & Caledonia.

Sept 10th: Not very many orders, picked 115 plums & about 100 tomatoes.

Sept 11th: Pretty busy again today, sold Hart 20 bags carrots at 80¢. Shipped 24 best Red Peppers to Toronto.

sent North 72 plums, 23 pears, 6 peppers, 2 caul, and about 80 tomatoes 3½¢.

Sept 12: A big rain & thunder shower in the night, not so many orders. 57 plums, 66 tomatoes, and picked another 50, shipped peppers for Toronto, another shower & thunderstorm this evening.

Sept 13: Our lightest day for some time, only picked 105 baskets.

Sept 14: Not many orders. 26 tomatoes, 34 plums, 15 peppers.

Sept 15: Sat. Picked 48 cukes, 50 plums, & 40 tomatoes.

Sept 16: Sunday, motored to Niagara Falls with Hicks, was a lovely day.

Sept 17: This Monday with not many orders, only shipped 61 plums, 30 tomatoes, 4 peppers, 2 caul.

Sept 18: Cooler today. Picked 47 plums, 31 tomatoes, 7 peppers & 5 caul. Shipped 20 peppers to Toronto. Sold 100 sweet peppers to Italians for 25¢, left without coats, to call tomorrow AM. Have half of them picked tonight.

Sept 19th: Cold & cloudy with strong North East winds, not many orders, only shipped 46 plums & 5 tomatoes.

Ross Hart died suddenly at nine P.M. last night with heart trouble, was at the station the day before shipping fruit.

Sept 20th: Nothing much doing, rained nearly all last night and today. Cut 9 cauliflowers.

Sept 21st: Fine again but no orders, only about 10 plums, 6 tomatoes, 3 caul. North. Went to Ross Hart's funeral.

Sept 22nd: Saturday. Nothing doing in orders. Had Ross Hart's cheque returned from the bank. He gave me it the day before he died and we did not get it cashed. It kind of worries you as it is for $450 and owes us another $300, besides.

Sept 23rd: Cold, went to Chapman's for supper.

Sept 24th: Not very many orders today. Started to pick peppers, very cold.

Sept 25th: Had large order from Nile Feather for Mrs. Hart about.

he cancelled it guess the people would not trust them any more because Ross Hart owed everybody.

Sept 26th: Sold 135 baskets peppers at 25¢ & 35¢. Picked more all day again; some frost last night but no damage done here.

Sept 27th: Cold & cloudy. Have furnace going tonight & last night picking peppers. Sold Italians, 100 baskets peppers at 25¢ & 38 crates 90¢. Madge and I have bad colds.

Sept 28th: About finished picking peppers, sold another 25 crates. Cut 18 crates cauliflower, sold 8 at $1.00. Shipped 10 to Toronto, sold at $1.75 & $2.00 cents. Also finished picking plums, shipped the last 100 to Toronto, sold at 50¢.

Total plums for the season: Shiros, baskets: 317 Red Junes, baskets: 69 Abundance, baskets: 44 Early Blue, baskets: 4 Burbanks, baskets: 1202 Pragos, baskets: 234 Bradshaws, baskets: 84 Lombards, baskets: 89 Reine Claude, baskets: 358 Monarchs, baskets: 168 Grand Dukes, baskets: 114

Total Baskets: 3311

Sept 29th: Cool & cloudy. Still have a cold – not doing very much.

Sept 30: Sunday a little milder but have our furnace going. Had Slim Blair & Harry Summons over in the evening, also Mr & Mrs Hicks. Aline is to be married on Oct 6th.

Oct 1st: Warmer. Smith sick with a cold today. Myself not very good. Cut 5 crates of cauliflowers, 4 baskets of plums, and 12 baskets of tomatoes for the last of them I guess.

Oct 2nd: Warmer, nothing doing. My cold worse again. Smith sick yet too, he has a bad one. John hoeing strawberries & Jerry ploughing. Laid off the teamster Saturday, he got too slow for anything.

Oct 3rd: Warm with very heavy fogs every night and morning, nothing much doing. Jerry, John, & Smith hoeing strawberries. Guess will soon have to go to -

Oct 4th: Still warm & foggy. Cut 12 crates cauliflowers, also sold 30 more boxes peppers to Italians at 75 and 80 ¢, we are having some job keeping the rats away from them. Had to move the peppers out of the barn and put them in the leery shed now, they are there too, have over 100 crates of them yet.

Oct 5th: Cut 12 crates cauliflowers and shipped a few more red peppers and sold 30 crates more to the Italians.

Oct 6th, Sat: Shipped 27 baskets cukes last night to Toronto for the last, doing a lot of small jobs and started pulling weeds & peppers out of raspberry patch.

Oct 7th, Sunday: Fine and warm. Have a cold, do not feel very good and did not drive far, only up to the mountains.

Oct 8th: Pulling weeds & peppers. Got the big patch done but had to work all day, four of us at it.

Oct 9th: Took out a $4000 mortgage on Harry Tenney's house in Roseland to run 4 years at 6½% interest. Italians got 26 more boxes peppers yesterday and we shipped 73 bskts Red Peppers and 13 crates cauliflowers to Toronto last shipment sold at peppers 60¢ and cauliflowers 8¢ 22½¢ and $1.50 a box. Wished we had lots at that.

Oct 10th: Fine but light white frosts yesterday morning and today but no harm much, our dahlias not frozen yet.

Oct 11th: Very warm like summer. Men drawing up dirt for hotbeds.

Oct 12th: Still warm about 80 in the shade. Drew in 4 loads pumpkins and a load of vegetable marrow. Suppose I will have to go to market, and I don't like the job.

Oct 14: Sunday a little cooler but fine. Drove up to the mountain for an hour or so.

Oct 15: Fine & milder again. Started putting in tile. Got 360 (6 inch) in today. Also Bill Smith off drunk again always does it when there is something special on.

Oct 16: Showery this morning. Got a few more peppers ready (30 bskts) & 10 crates cauliflowers. Last shipment 50 bskts red peppers sold @ 55¢ 60¢ and cauli @ 80¢ crate.

Oct 17: Rained nearly all last night again. Still draining, got another 360 6-inch tiles. Weather hot and showery, raining again this evening.

Oct 18: Rained all night & most of this morning. Shipped 12 crates cauliflowers and picked our apples about 9 bushels. Had to stop draining too much rain, ground flooded.

Oct 19th: Pulling carrots. Got 90 bushels out but have none sold yet. Seems to be no sale for them. Another shower tonight at 4:30, in fact a thunder shower. Bill Smith still off yet.

Oct 20th: Went into the city to try & sell some carrots. Not much success only sold 50 bushels @ 35¢.

Oct 21st: Sunday motored down the middle road to the 12 mile creek. It was a lovely day.

Oct 22nd: Getting out carrots and took one load to Hamilton and getting a load ready for market but it looks like rain tonight.

Oct 23rd: Went to market in the rain. Showered until 7 or 8 o'clock. Sold out by nine o'clock by giving the stuff away. Pie pumpkins 40 to 50¢ doz. Marrows 40 to 50¢. Cauliflowers $1.00 box. Carrots 40 to 50¢ box. Large pumpkins sold lot of 128 at 5¢ each. Did not get another offer.

Here are the transcriptions of the latest diary entries:

Oct 24th: Delivered 200 pumpkins at 5¢ and 5 bags of carrots 50¢. Sold them yesterday. Some more rain again today.

Oct 25th: Went to market again. Things slow. Pumpkins hard to sell! Did not get home until 4:30. Price about the same.

Oct 26th: Delivered 40 bags of carrots in Hamilton. Have a bad cold.

Oct 27th: In bed all day with a cold.

Oct 28th: Sunday cool. Heiks called to see us.

Oct 29th: Bought 500 berry crates at Uplons for 15¢ each.

Oct 30th: Not feeling very good yet. Got another load of 6" tile (360) - getting ready for market.

Oct 31st: Very cold this A.M., temperature 20 when I left for market. Got home about 3:30 P.M.

Oct 31st: Charlotte had her birthday party today. Still putting in tile.

Nov 1st: Got another load of tile. 300-6 inch 100-4 inch. Weather milder and looks like rain.

Transcription Progress

In Progress

Files

 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 1.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 2.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 3.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 4.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 5.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 6.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 7.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 8.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 9.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 10.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 11.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 12.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 13.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 14.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 15.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 16.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 17.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 18.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 19.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 20.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 21.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 22.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 23.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 24.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 25.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 26.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 27.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 28.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 29.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 30.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 31.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 32.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 33.pdf
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 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 35.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 36.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 37.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 38.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 39.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 40.pdf
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 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 50.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 51.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 52.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 53.pdf
 Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 54.pdf

Citation

Franklin McMillan, “Franklin McMillan Diary, 1928,” Rural Diary Archive, accessed July 16, 2024, https://ruraldiaries.lib.uoguelph.ca/transcribe/items/show/511.

Transcribe This Item

  1. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 1.pdf
  2. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 2.pdf
  3. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 3.pdf
  4. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 4.pdf
  5. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 5.pdf
  6. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 6.pdf
  7. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 7.pdf
  8. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 8.pdf
  9. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 9.pdf
  10. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 10.pdf
  11. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 11.pdf
  12. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 12.pdf
  13. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 13.pdf
  14. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 14.pdf
  15. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 15.pdf
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  27. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 27.pdf
  28. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 28.pdf
  29. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 29.pdf
  30. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 30.pdf
  31. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 31.pdf
  32. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 32.pdf
  33. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 33.pdf
  34. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 34.pdf
  35. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 35.pdf
  36. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 36.pdf
  37. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 37.pdf
  38. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 38.pdf
  39. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 39.pdf
  40. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 40.pdf
  41. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 41.pdf
  42. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 42.pdf
  43. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 43.pdf
  44. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 44.pdf
  45. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 45.pdf
  46. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 46.pdf
  47. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 47.pdf
  48. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 48.pdf
  49. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 49.pdf
  50. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 50.pdf
  51. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 51.pdf
  52. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 52.pdf
  53. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 53.pdf
  54. Franklin McMillan Diary 1928 54.pdf
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