Visited his childhood home in Berkshire whilst staying with Mr C Dundas. Raw weather [at Thirkleby] but crops are forward and hay making is already underway and a good crop of backward grapes under glass, though there are no apples and hardly any pears, peaches, or nectarines compared to usual. Discusses strawberries: plans to raise them from seed; wrote to Dundas for some "fine hautboys" which he plans to alternate with pines, "as recommended by the French", though he has failed in the past with hautboys. His fruit trees showing symptoms of age not only for themselves "but my Scotch gardener".