Author: Commerell, Abb? de: [Lettsom, John Coakley, ed., trans.:]

Title: An Account of the Culture and Use of the Mangel Wurzel, or Root of Scarcity.

Publication: London: printed for Charles Dilly, in the Poultry; and J. Phillips, George-Yard, Lombard-Street, 1788.

Description: Fourth edition. 8vo., pp.xxxix, [i], 52 + engraved hand-coloured frontispiece. Sporadic foxing throughout, including title-page. Slightly later half brown calf, marbled boards, rebacked in a lighter shade with large vertical label.. Rubbed, edges and corners worn, endpapers foxed, good overall. Ownership inscription, Jenkins, in an old hand to title-page.

One of many works by the industrious Quaker philanthropist and physician John Coakley Lettsom (1744?1815), translated by him from the original French of the Abb? de Commerell. 'Alongside botany, fossils, and natural history, another subject in which Lettsom interested himself was scientific agriculture. He was involved in the introduction of the mangel-wurzel, first brought to notice by Sir Richard Jebb in 1786. Lettsom translated a pamphlet on the subject (An Account of the Mangel-wurzel, or Root of Scarcity, from the French of the Abb? de Commerell, 1787); he grew the seed himself and imported a large quantity, which he distributed to farmers and others in Britain as well as in Europe, America, and the West Indies.' (Payne, rev. Porter, ODNB)

Bibliography: ESTC T68301.

Reference Number: [55070]

Price: £300

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