r shouting, when Jabez poured sap
on the snow and it turned to candy, might have been heard a mile away.

March 11--Jabez left, taking as part of his spoil a jar of syrup and a
lot of cakes of sugar. Under his teaching Ailie quickly learned to sugar
off, and did it over the kitchen fire in the biggest pot. Sent cakes as
presents to Mrs Bambray and Mrs Dunlop.

March 12--All tired after the week's sugar-making. Surprising what a
quantity was made, due to the Aulds and Brodies helping, who got their
share.

March 18--Have had no sugar-weather this week; frosty with strong winds,
and some snow. Allan, with help of Mr Auld, began hauling boards from
sawmill, which we will need for barns.

March 20--Gordon awakened us by shouting 'A sugar snow.' There had been
a light shower of it during the night, and the air was soft. Holes were
rebored and there was a fine run of sap. Likely the last, for there is
now hard frost.

March 25--Have made preparations for the sacrament. Weather has been
fickle, sometimes snow, then rain, but always blowy with cold nights.

March 26--Fair overhead but sleighing heavy. Got to Toronto in time and
had a solemn and, I hope, a profitable season. Recalling past occasions,
Ailie was much affected on taking the cup in her hand. She was anxious
about there being no word from Scotland. Before leaving Toronto I went
to the postmaster and got a letter. It was from her sister, whose
husband had a rented farm at Lochwinnoch. They have decided to follow us
to Canada, and ask that I look out a farm for them. They hope to have
over a thousand dollars after paying their passage. When we got home
Robbie's news was that he had seen a robin.

March 27--Gladdened, when I woke to hear the sound of birds. The robin
here is not the Scottish redbreast, being much larger and with a
different note. People I spoke to at church yesterday said we are having
an unusually late season. I am weary of the sight of the snow, which is
now wasting in the sun. Heard frogs at a distance last night. The long
winter is a serious offset to farming in Canada.

April 3--Jabez with Sloot came this morning to start burning our fallow,
and before dark we had made great progress. There is enough snow and ice
left to make it easy for the oxen to haul logs.

April 8--By ourselves once more; the burning and the making of potash
finished yesterday. There is now clearance enough on all three lots to
make sure of raising sufficient crop to