Bradley

1718 · 16498 — London: W. Mears 1718. Full leather in a slipcase. Fair in a Fine Slipcase. New Improvements of Planting and Gardening Both Philosophical and Practical. London: W. Mears 1718 1717 1718.<br /> Three volumes bound in one second edition of volume I first editions of volumes II and III. Pp.184 192 misnumbered 684 202;<br /> Volume I: 16 70 2 pp. with 1 engraved plate;<br /> Volume II: 16 136 pp. with 1 engraved plates and 2 folding engraved plates;<br /> Volume III: 12 290 2 pp. with 3 folding engraved plates;<br /> <br /> The Gentleman and Gardner's Kalendar.<br /> London: W. Mears 1720. Third edition. xv 1 124 4 pp. with 1 engraved plate and 3 folding engraved plates. Followed by 4-page publisher's advert.<br /> <br /> Ref: Henrey 488 "New Improvements and the Kalendar were often found bound together as such"; ESTC number: T39873; Kalendar; T40723.<br /> <br /> Contemporary calf gilt ruled rebacked spine titled in gilt. 8vo; 7 5/8 x 4 3/4 inches 19.25 x 12 cm; Wear to boards and rebacked spine top spine band pulled; corners bumped and rubbed hinges reinforced text with toning spotting and occasional edge tears dog ears dampstaining and manuscript annotations. Older ownership on front paste-down notations on front endpages. Title page in red. Modern brown cloth slipcase. Full Title: New improvements of planting and gardening both philosophical and practical; explaining the motion of the sapp and generation of plants. With other Discoveries never before made Publick for the Improvement of Forest-Trees Flower-Gardens or Parterres; with a New Invention whereby more Designs of Garden Plates may be made in an Hour than can be found in all the Books now extant. Likewise several rare Secrets for the Improvement of Fruit-Trees Kitchen-Gardens and Green House Plants. Adorn'd with Copper Plates. The third and last part. By Richard Bradley Fellow of the Royal Society<br /> <br /> Background Information:<br /> Bradley an English botanist and gardener was one of the most voluminous writers upon agriculture and gardening. Johnson author of History of Gardening 1829 states that Bradley was "one of the first to treat gardening and agriculture as sciences." <br /> <br /> His name was attached to more than 20 publications between 1716 and 1730. His works show a well-informed and comprehensive mind. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and in 1724 was elected Professor of Botany at Cambridge. However he was considered unfitted for the office due to his ignorance of foreign languages and other reasons. <br /> <br /> His work ran through many editions and although the contents were culled from earlier writers they indicated the trends of the times in agriculture and horticulture. Ohio State/Plant Facts W. Mears unknown