Friday 18th. Mercury at 38 in the Morning—42 at Noon and 44 at Night.
Wind Southerly all day—very lowering in the forenoon. Soon after 12 Oclock there began a light mixture of Snow & rain, which continued through the day; encreasing as it advanced.
I went to my Dogue run Plantation to make choice of the size, & to direct the taking up of Pine trees, for my two wildernesses. Brought 3 waggon load of them home, and planted every other hole round the Walks in them. Began with that on the right, which was planted before the wet fell, & better planted; that is with more pains the other (on the left) being hurried more and the ground wet and sticky.
Also planted 20 Pine trees in the lines of Trees by the sides of the Serpentine roads to the House.
Received from Mr. Josh. Parke of Norfolk a box containing young trees of the live oak and 10 Acorns which I presume is from the same sort of Trees.
A good deal of rain fell in the Night.
mr. josh. parke: Col. Josiah Parker (1751–1810), of Macclesfield, Isle of Wight County, had been a member of the committee of safety and the Virginia conventions of 1775 and an officer in the American army. After resigning as colonel of the 5th Virginia Regiment on 1 April 1778, Parker became commander of all Virginia militia south of the James River until the end of the war. In 1780 and 1781 he was a member of the House of Delegates and from 1783 to 1789 was naval officer and collector at Portsmouth. He served in the United States Congress 1789–1801.
Quercus virginiana, live oak, is an evergreen ranging along the east coast of the United States from Virginia to Florida.