The English Improover, or a new Survey of Husbandry.: Discovering to the kingdome, that some land, both arrable and pasture, may be advanced double or treeble; other land to a five or tenfold: and some to a twenty fold improvement: yea, some now not worth above one, or two shillings per acre, be made worth t
by BLITH, Walter
- Used
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
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London, United Kingdom
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About This Item
London: printed for I. Wright,, 1649. Creating farmland and improving yields One of two 1649 editions, of unestablished priority. Walter Blith (1605-1654) has been called by Robert Trow-Smith "the greatest of the mid-seventeenth century writers" in the field of agriculture (English Husbandry, 1951). In this work, Blith advocates draining and making water meadows, inclosure, the use of manures, and plantations. "In spite of the currently fashionable interlarding of Biblical references and quotations his directions are surprisingly clear: but like many another he was too far in advance of his time to be generally heeded, and it was more than a century later before any real progress was made with the improvements he advocates" (Fussell, p. 53). There were two editions in 1649 (most easily distinguished by their titles, the present "English Improover" and the separate "English Improver"). Wing placed this edition as the first, although "Improver" is also commonly cited as such. "Improver" is roughly double the pagination, and the Thomason Collection copy has a note of accession of December, both evidence that it is the second edition. Expanded third and fourth editions followed in 1652 and 1653. Quarto (178 x 136 mm). Contemporary sheep, plainly rebacked in calf, inner hinges reinforced. Neat ownership notation on title page. Extremities a little worn with sheep stripped, contents lightly browned, some shoulder notes slightly cropped, light staining towards rear; a very good copy. ESTC R210745; Fussell, pp. 51-3; Wing B3193.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 149383
- Title
- The English Improover, or a new Survey of Husbandry.
- Author
- BLITH, Walter
- Book Condition
- Used
- Place of Publication
- London: printed for I. Wright,
- Date Published
- 1649
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
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About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Rebacked
- having had the material covering the spine replaced. ...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Quarto
- The term quarto is used to describe a page or book size. A printed sheet is made with four pages of text on each side, and the...