The English Improver Improved or the Survey of Husbandry Surveyed: Discovering the Improueableness of all Lands: Some to be under a double and Treble others under a Five or Six Fould. And many under a Tenn fould, yea Some under a Twenty fould Improvement. by Wa. Blith a lover of Ingenuity.

Blith, Walter. (fl. 1649) The English Improver Improved or the Svrvey of Hvsbandry Svrveyed Discovering the Improueableness of all Lands: Some to be under a double and Treble others under a Five or Six Fould. And many under a Tenn fould, yea Some under a Twenty fould Improvement. by Wa. Blith a lover of Ingenuity. [Engraved t.p.] All clearely demonstrated from Principles of Reason, Ingenuity, and late but most Real Experiences; and held forth at an Inconsiderable charge to the Profits accrewing thereby, under Six Peeces of Improvement. [ 1 By Floting and Watering such Land as lieth capeable thereof. 2 By drayning Fen, Reducing bog, and Regaining Sea-lands. 3 By such Enclosures as prevents Depopulation, & advanceth all Interests. 4 By Tillage of some Land lost for want of, and Pasturing others destroyed with Plowing. 5 By a Discovery of all Syles and Composts with their nature and use. 6 By doubling the growth of Wood by a new Plantation. The Third Impression much Augmented. With an Additional Discovery of the several Tooles, and Instruments in their Formes and Figures promised. With a Second Part; Containing Six Newer Peeces of Improvement. [ 1 Our English Husbandring Claver grasse, and St. Foyn, as high as may be. 2 The facilitating the charge and burthen of the Plough, with divers Figures thereof. 3 The Planting Welde, Woad, and Madder, three rich commodities for Dyers. 4 The Planting of Hops, Saffron and Liquorish, with their Advance. 5 The Planting of Rape, Cole-seed, Hemp, & Flax, and the profit thereof. 6 The great Advance of Land by divers Orchards and Garden Fruits. The Experimenting whereof makes good the Improvement promised. [Typographical t.p.]    London: Printed for John Wright, at the Kings-head in the Old-Bayley, 1653.  Quarto, 182 x 133 mm.  Fourth edition. [¼]2, B4, [½]2, C-Z4, Aa-Qq4. 2 fold out plates and 3 page engravings. This work has a fine engraved title page, which includes small vignettes around the central frame which contains the title. The vignettes depict soldiers beating their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks. Inside, one text woodcut illustrates a broad beater for flattening and leveling the land, a folding engraving of windmills, another folding engraving of surveyors and the tools of their trade, and two full paged woodcuts of ploughs and wheeled ploughs. This copy is in good condition internally. It has been recently rebound in full calfskin, á là seventeenth century English bookbinding.        The object of this work is to instruct English farmers and others in practical matters of land-based industry. The detailed instructions that Blith provides are amazing. When he advocates the cultivation of saffron or hemp, he also tells when to plant the bulbs, or sow the seed, how to recognize good plant material, how and when to harvest, what sort of a crop you might expect, and on and on to the last. In this way, Blith provides great information for us today, as we endeavor to discover the details of farming life in seventeenth century England. The breadth of subjects is also impressive, the title covers every topic mentioned in the book, and an itemized table appears after the text.  Wing B-3196. Algernon Capel, 2nd Earl of Essex (1670-1710); Son of Arthur, 1st Earl of Essex, whom he succeeded in 1683. Gentleman of the Bedchamber to William III, with a distinguished career as an officer in the Army; served in Flanders under King William and during the reign of Queen Anne, and Constable of the Tower of London; rose to Lieutenant-General in 1708 and Colonel of the 4th Regiment of Dragoons. Member of the Kit-Cat Club. As Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, he was Colonel of the Hertfordshire Militia in 1697. He was Colonel of the 4th Dragoons between 1693 and 1710. In 1708 was made a Privy Counsellor by Queen Anne. It's his dramatic bookplate on this rebound item.