Deane, Samuel

The Newengland [New England] Farmer, or, Georgical Dictionary : containing a compendious account of the ways and methods in which the important art of husbandry, in all its various branches, is, or may be, practised, to the greatest advantage in this country.

Worcester, Mass. Printed at the Press of Isaiah Thomas, by Leonard Worcester, for Isaiah Thomas, 1797.

Octavo (23 x 13.5 cm.) viii, 396 pages. Detailed table of contents. ~ Second Edition, corrected, improved, and enlarged, by the author; originally published in 1790. "The first work of the kind published in this country" (Sabin). "This encyclopedic work... contains the results of his own experiments and reveals wide acquaintance with the observations and experimental work of other American authors" (DAB). "No mere compendium or digest of English writings on agriculture, it was based upon Deane's own experience and a familiarity with American as well as European work" (Hindle). The Reverend Samuel Deane (1733-1814) was the first American since Jared Elliot (1685-1763) to generate serious interest in a scientific approach to agriculture. He experimented with, and wrote about crop rotation, soil erosion, cover cropping and more. The popularity of this work encouraged American farmers to look backward to Elliots's various books, and for a new generation of others interested in agricultural improvement to publish their own works. Some browning and light staining throughout; darker stain to bottom of first few leaves, including the title. Text block sound. Sound in full brown calf; binding rubbed, and lacking the original spine label; otherwise very good. Overall, near very good. The front fly leaf bears the ownership inscription, "Ichabod Rollins, July 6, 1810". [OCLC locates numerous copies; Evans; 32020; Rink 1105 (for the first); Sabin; 19056].

Price: $500.00