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6 parts in 3 vols. 8vo. I: (10) + 216 + (8) + (32) + 218 + (6)pp; II: (6) + 228 + (6) + (10) + 248 + (6)pp; III: (34) + 228 + (8) + (14) + 260 + (19)pages With engraved plates as follows: Part I: double-page frontispiece, 4 plates (2 folding) signed by both the artist, Werner, and engraver Matt. C., of Erfurt. Part II: 3 plates (1 folding). Part III: 2 plates. Part IV: 3 folding plates (on 2 ff.). Part V: frontispiece (scenes in 5 compartments), 3 folding plates. Part VI: frontispiece (cultivated plants in 5 compartments), 2 plates (1 folding). Each section with separate title-page, decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces and ornamental initials. Contemporary sprinkled calf, spines richly decorated in gilt with morocco labels. First edition of the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to horticulture and husbandry in the latter half of the 18th century. The author, who lived all his life at Erfurt in Thuringia (1685-1774), describes the preparation of the soil, sowing, nursery- and fruit-trees, the orangery, vegetables, herbs and spices, bulbs, the kitchen garden, corn and pasturage (ie particularly with the aid of fertilizers, so as not to waste time in leaving fields fallow), the hop garden and lastly the flower garden. Part V is dedicated to Ernst August Constantin, Duke of Saxony and has a second preface by Joachim Georg Darjes, councillor to the Prince of Saxony-Weimar and professor at Jena. Part VI is dedicated to Johann Franz von Hoheneck with half-page engraving of coat-of-arms signed by Werner. The engraved plates are unusual and attractive and show methods of cultivation, implements, plants (experiments with new varieties of clover to improve fodder and the quality of meat); in the flower garden, martagon lilies, auriculas, primulas and pinks portrayed in large decorative pots and urns; particularly fine are the signed plates of Part I; the named sites within landscape setting include Erfurt, Hochheim, Cyriacs Burg and Dagobertstadt, while the double-page frontispiece depicts Christian Reichart's beautiful seed cabinet ('Saamen Cabinet'); it was specially made to his instructions for storing seeds, and the elaborate exterior decorations were in fact made of seeds carefully glued in place, rather than carved or inlaid as would appear. In recognition of the author's services to scientific plant culture a memorial was erected to him in his native Erfurt. In an excellent state of preservation. Copies containing all six parts are rare. Dochnahl p126, noting that the work continued to be published until 1819-21, dates it 1753-55. Whilst Part VI of the present copy is dated 1755, Part II bears the date 1757 (though its preface is dated 1752), (?)possibly a printing error; the second edition was not printed until 1765. The author's name is variously written 'Reicharts' and 'Reichardts' on title-pages. Güntz, 'Handbuch d. landwirtschaftl. Literatur', 1897, II, 205f. Engelmann, 'Bibl. Oeconomica', Leipzig 1841, 255. Not in Hunt.
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