4. Stephens, Henry.
The Book of the Farm – Detailing The Labours of the Farmer, Farm-Steward, Ploughman, Shepherd, Hedger, Farm-Labourer, Field-Worker and Cattleman. In Three Volumes – With Numerous Illustrations [Steel-Engravings and Wood-Engravings of Animals, Machinery, Farm Buildings etc.].
Third Edition. Two Volumes (complete set). Edinburgh / London, William Blackwood and Sons, 1871. Large Octavo (17 cm wide x 25 cm). Pagination: Volume I: Portrait-Frontispiece showing Henry Stephens, XVI, 550 pages with three Engravings in Steel and 268 Wood-Engravings within the Text / Volume II: XI, 654 pages with 14 Engravings on Steel and 288 Wood-Engravings within the Text. As an Appendix to Volume II: With 12 pages of a List of Works on Agricultural and Rural Affairs published by William Blackwood & Sons. Hardcover / Original, decorative half-leather with gilt lettering and ornament on spine and board. Binding of Volume I a bit shaky and with some damages to the spines. But the bookblock both very clean and with the stunning illustrations complete. Volume II firm and intact. This particular Third Edition is a great example of 19th century farming-history documentation. The popularity of this work is the reason why each edition improved over time. The Third Edition is the pinnacle of the publication with stunning steel-engravings and please pay attention to the particularly smart way of illustrating sowing and harvesting techniques by using black-and-white firguartive illustation of farm-hands, farmers and planters (Pitato-Planting etc.).