Manuscript diaries and accounts kept by Lancaster, Pennsylvania farmer George Ross. Very rich source of information on farming practices and conditions in south central Pennsylvania in the early years of the Republic. Each volume contains a section of accounts, and a section of daily diary entries. The diary entries run from the very brief (17 August 1814: "Wednesday L. plowing") to extensive entries recording which workers plowed or planted or harvested what crops from which fields along with what the weather was like, what the crop yield measured, and what income was realized. Sundays, Christmas and New Year's Days are consistently noted as non-work days. Rare remarks on current events are included, such as, 28 August 1814: "Disastrous news - the City of "Washington," taken by the British Arms - the publick property including the Navy Yard & shiping destroyed - August Wensday 24th 1 p.m." A more typical entry is from 6 November 1814: "The corn which now lies so many days will be in danger of spoiling, particularly when it is considered it must lay some time longer to dry"; or from 21 July 1801: "L. ploughing. D. cradling. Alexn. Tightning Barn floor. P.M. The stubbles impede the plough so much that I have determined to burn them, therefore L. is to plough round the field as many Furrows as will prevent any danger perhaps ten or twelve. L. ploughed three times this afternoon." Especially interesting are the annual crop plans for the next year in which Ross enumerates his plans of what to plant in which field, what his expected yields are, and whether he intends to experiment with any new practices. Of special note, too, are: an executor's account in vol. 1; the key to symbols used in the diaries, vol. 2, p. [6]; copy of a letter in vol. 4; a house plan, draft of sale advertisement for livestock and "a variety of articles appertaining to the Occupation of a Farmer" in vol. 5; and individual entries about the coming and going of hired help. Brief notes also record the deaths of his wife and one son, and a marriage.
