COTTON, Charles.   THE PLANTERS MANUAL:   Being Instructions For The Raising, Planting, And Cultivating All Sorts Of Fruit-Trees, Whether Stone-Fruits Or Pepin-Fruits, With Their Natures And Seasons. Very Useful For Such As Are Curious In Planting And Grafting.     &nbspLondon: Printed For Henry Brome,   1675.          First edition. This is an unacknowledged translation of a French work, INSTRUCTIONS POUR LES ARBRES FRUITIERS, written by Robert Triquel (or Triquet) and first published anonymously in France in 1653. Cotton is best known as a poet and fishing companion of Issak Walton, but he was also a linguist and published several translations from the French, including the complete works of Montaigne. In spite of this, he also appears to have been something of a Francophobe, and in his preface, after recommending the superiority of their imported trees, feels nevertheless compelled to attack the French as being "altogether debauch'd by their effeminate manners, luxurious kickshaws, and fantastik fashions, by which we are already sufficiently Frenchified." That the best English pomology of his day was also being "Frenchified" goes without notice. Cotton was not the only English author to translate French books on fruit culture. Evelyn, most notably, had already translated Robert d'Andilly's LA MANIERE DE CULTIVER LES ARBRES FRUITIERS (under the English title THE MANNER OF ORDERING FRUIT TREES) and later also translated de La Quintinie. These books were particularly important for bringing to England the significant 17th century French advances in espalier cultivation and other practices. It was not until the 18th century that English growers could describe these new methods from sufficient practical experience on their own soil. Cotton's edition does offer one enhancement of the French original: it adds an appealing illustrated title page engraved by F. H. van Houe. On it is depicted a large field with several laborers engaged in a variety of agricultural pursuits. This engraving is found in at least two states. The earliest state includes the engraver's name in the lower right-hand corner; the second state does not include the engraver's name and has been reduced by roughly half a centimeter along the right edge. The copy offered here has the engraved title in the earlier state.   8vo (14 x 9.5 cm); (viii, including initial blank) + 139 pp. + engraved illustrated title, inserted opposite letterpress title. In some copies the two final leaves, K7 and K8, include advertising. In our copy, like most others for which we can find collations, these leaves are lacking, and there is no evidence of their ever having been bound in.   Oak Spring Pomona 8; Henrey 42; Hunt 337.          Contemporary blind ruled calf, scuffed and worn, spine and corners skillfully restored. $2,250.00

CLICK To Return To Fair List     /    HOME