The Farmer's Own Book: A Treatise on the numerous diseases of the horse, with an explanation of their symptoms, and the course of treatment to be pursued.
Baltimore, MD: Printed by McCoull & Slater, N.W. corner of Baltimore and Charles Streets, 1857.
Duodecimo (16.5 x 11.5 cm.), 226, [4], iii pages. Includes separate indexes for each of three sections. Small woodcut illustrations. FIRST EDITION. A farrier’s manual, really a holistic veterinary manual which includes, formulae, receipts, and prescriptions. The text includes a list of domestic medicines and receipts, for example, Lunar Caustic, "very useful in curing bites of rabid dogs." Part of the work operates as an herbal. Natural ingredients include Ginger Root, Turpentine, Tar, Common Salt, Sulphur, Gentian, Opium, Digitalis, Pitch, Mustard, Linseed, American Helebore, Indian Turnip, Seneca Snakeroot, American Columbo, Black Alder, Prickly Ash, Battleweed Root, Pipsisseway or Winter Green, and Dandeline (sic). And amongst the medicinal and veterinary formulae are some culinary recipes: For Pickling Pears, To Make Honey Without Bees, To Keep Cider Sweet, For Boiled Cider, Cherry Brandy, Black or Dewberry Cordial, Black or Dewberry Wine, Gas Beer, Silver Top Drink, To Preserve Bread, To Pickel (sic) Cucumbers, Soft Ginger Bread, To Preserve Plumbs, Essence of Cinnamon, etc. Household recipes include those for ink, soft soap, oil varnish, colognes, etc. A bit soiled internally, but sound. Publisher's full, brown textured cloth, blind-stamped and gilt-titled at the spine, with a gilt vignette of a horse’s head to spine as well. A bit of wear to the lower spine. Near very good. Ownership stamp and earlier name in pencil to free front endpaper. [OCLC locates thirteen copies].
Price: $150.00