IMH 75:2 196 - 197

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Tuesday, April 19th

It did'n't rain. But yesterday's and to-day's weather were as much alike as two peas,
except that it was clearer. We had plenty of callers. First came Jap Foster and
borrowed the iron wedge. Father departed on the black hoss for the "Bottoms"
but met Mr. Isenhower(86) coming to him. They came here, staid till after dinner
and went away again, Pap afoot. Alvin and I went up and enlarged the potato
patch in the calf and hog pasture by moving out a big tree top which had to be
sawed up and a big pile of logs and limbs big and little, made of it. After clearing
it, I plowed harrowed and furrowed it. The plowing was not as hard work as on
yesterday's patch and it harrowed up nicely. We had to haul rails and fence our
enlargment which did not leave us time to plant. John Kivett came towards night
and got some of his fruit cans Shortly afterwards came Aleck Benge, and one of
Meter Benge's boys; the first after both sweet and sour [milk], the second after
potatoes of which I believe he got a few. Father got some sweet potatoes brought
from town but the hot-bed was too hot to put them in.

Teaching Note: As noted in a previous note, hot beds were used to start plants and were
heated with horse or cattle manure which provides heat as it decomposes...ad can be too
warm as mentioned in this entry.