Birch lice.

September 9. 

Half a bushel of handsome pears on the ground under the wild pear tree on Pedrick's land; some ripe, many more on tree. 

September 9, 2023

J. Wesson, who is helping me survey to-day, says that, when they dug the cellar of Stacy's shop, he saw where they cut through (with the spade) birches six inches in diameter, on which the Mill-Dam had been built; also that Nathan Hosmer, Sr., since dead, told him that he had cut meadow-grass between the bakehouse and the Middlesex Hotel. 

I find myself covered with green and winged lice from the birches.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, September 9, 1853

Half a bushel of handsome pears on the ground. See August 29, 1852 ("The ground in orchards is covered with windfalls; imperfect fruits now fall"); September 3, 1859 ("A strong wind, which blows down much fruit. R. W. E. sits surrounded by choice windfall pears."); September 3, 1860 ("See on the two pear trees by the Boze cellar ripe pears, some ripe several days . . . one was quite sweet and good")

I find myself covered with green and winged lice from the birches. See May 21, 1852 ("The latter [birches] are covered with green lice, which cover me."): May 30, 1855 ("Green lice from birches (?) get on my clothes. "); August 11, 1854 ("Green lice on birches."); August 13, 1852 ("There are green lice now on the birches, but I notice no cotton on them."); September 27, 1852 ("Green lice are still on the birches. "); October 15, 1859 ("I think I see myrtle-birds on white birches, and that they are the birds I saw on them a week or two ago, — apparently, or probably, after the birch lice.")

J. Wesson, who is helping me survey. See October 20, 1857 ("Wesson is so gouty that he rarely comes out-of-doors, and is a spectacle in the street; but he loves to tell his old stories still! "); November 25, 1857 ("Mr. Wesson says that he has seen a striped squirrel eating a white-bellied mouse"); November 27, 1857 ("Mr. Wesson says . . .that the little dipper is not a coot. . - but he appears not to know a coot”)

Oak catkins

May 18.

To Pedrick's meadow. 

Viola lanceolata, two days at least. 

Celandine yesterday.

The V. pedata beginning to be abundant. 


Chinquapin was probably a little later to leaf, and will be to flower, than the shrub oak. Its catkins, light green, remind me of those of the swamp white oak.  

Now for the tassels of the shrub oak; I can find no pollen yet about them, but, as the oak catkins in my pitcher, plucked yesterday, shed pollen to-day, I think I may say that the bear shrub oak, red and black oaks open to-morrow.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, May 18, 1854

Viola lanceolata, two days at least. V. pedata beginning to be abundant. See May 5, 1859 (V. pedata and lanceolata rarer yet, or not seen. ”); May 6, 1855 (“Viola lanceolata,yesterday at least. ”); May 6, 1859 ("Viola pedata begins to be common about white pine woods there.”) May 13, 1858 ( Viola lanceolata, how long?”); May 17, 1853 ("tV. pedata there [by the Corner Spring] presents the greatest array of blue of any flower as yet.“);