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Also contains The Compleat Florist, or, The Universal Culture of Flowers, Trees and Shrubs by the Sieur Louis Liger d'Auxerre. Newly done into English. London: Printed for Benjamin Took, 1706. The second work is a translation of le Jardinier Fleuriste. Spine label: The Carthusian Gardener. "This is the first edition of a different English translation from that overseen by London and Wise."--Cf. Johnston, S. H. Cleveland coll. 321. Le Jardinier Solitaire translated from the second, 1706, edition. Printer's pagination imperfect: p. [141] misnumbered 129, succeeding pages also misnumbered. However, Table of Contents reflects the "misnumbering." References: Johnston, S. H. Cleveland coll. 321. Includes index.
Two popular French garden books translated into English by a rival English publisher. Francis Gentil was a Carthusian lay brother who had been the gardener to the Charter House at Paris for over thirty years. He writes his work as a dialogue between a Gentleman and a Gardener. The Gentleman wishes to retire to the country and needs to learn "whatever 'tis necessary for me to know in Order to make a Kitchen-Garden, and to Cultivate Fruit-Trees." This dialogue technique allows the author to explain his subject matter with great ease, and it effectively draws the reader into the work. In the second work in this volume, which is actually much lengthier and more detailed than the Gentil's, Sieur Liger d'Auxerre sets out to give a complete discussion of all aspects of gardening, and not just the information needed to put "a plant in the ground." He covers such topics as the proper use of tools, when each flower should be planted, how to arrange borders, what to do with animals which are harmful to plants, how to culture trees and small shrubs, what embellishments are suitable, and how to make all sorts of knots to render gardens agreeable to the sight. This entire volume is arranged with first Gentil's Preface, followed by d'Auxerre's Preface, which in turn is followed by the two separate table of contents. At the end of the entire volume there is an index which includes both works together. Both works have printed marginal notes to assist the reader in finding information.
Subjects: Gardening.
PAT-45a