A General Treatise of Agriculture – Richard Bradley – 1757 | First Edition, Illustrated

A General Treatise of Agriculture, Both Philosophical and Practical by Richard Bradley is a 1757 survey of English agriculture, farming, and gardening. Bradley covers a wide variety of topics including a discourse of soil, air, and vegetation with practical instruction on farm and garden management. The first portion of the work, “Of Husbandry”, focuses on farming and includes direction of how to properly stock a farm with cattle and poultry, estimating profits, and methods for improving the land itself. The second section, “Of Gardening”, offers direction on plant generation, building water features, and a curious section on creating heaters and stoves for a garden.

This fine first edition is notable for including all of the called for illustrations, including views of garden plans and farming tools.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A General Treatise of Agriculture, Both Philosophical and Practical; Displaying the Arts of Husbandry and Gardening: In Two Parts. Part I. Of Husbandry. Part II. Of Gardening.
• Author(s): Richard Bradley
• Publisher: London: Printed for W. Johnston, et al.
• Edition: First edition, 1757
• Format: (8vo), single volume
• Binding: Full leather
• Size:  8 in x 5.25 in (20.3 cm x 13.3 cm)
• Collation: viii, 503, [15]
• Illustrations: 21 engraved plates including frontispiece
  • Final plate lacking a portion
• Provenance: bookplate – Hen. Knight, Esqr.
• Contents Include:
  • Part I. Of Husbandry – Nature of soil, air, and proper situations for the growth of vegetables
  • Part II. Of Gardening – Circulation of sap, plant generation, and vegetative structure
  • Descriptions of plows, waterwheels, and mechanical aids
  • Plans for garden design and heating apparatus
  • Instructions on livestock and poultry management
  • Agricultural profit estimation methods

Condition:

Good. Full contemporary leather binding with modern reback retaining original boards. Corners rubbed with loss; hinges reinforced. Spine leather clean and stable. Text block sound with mild age toning. Engraved frontispiece and twenty further plates present, the final plate lacking a portion. Pages generally clean with occasional light foxing; binding tight and secure.

Why Collect This?

• Early English agricultural science in original edition
• Illustrations showing period tools, plows, and garden designs
• Representative of the practical Enlightenment approach to husbandry
• First edition complete with all plates

Item Number: # 29504