Den sorghvuldighen hovenier ende de oprechte practycke, ende gront vande wetenschap om blommen te zaeyen, planten ende gouverneren naer de conste vande hof-bauwinghe.

2 parts in 1 vol., 8vo: [18]-162-[2 bl.], [2]-163/240-[12] pp. (toned, some light soiling).

Contemp. limp vellum, flat spine (used, not very firm). Sl. unstable but complete copy.

Very rare first edition of this practical manual for gardeners by J.B. Reyntkens (b. Dendermonde - d. Ghent 1690), Benedictine monk and head gardener of St Peter's Abbey in Ghent. This useful and complete manual, written for "professional" horticulturists, is divided in 2 parts: 1. The flowers section deals with all kinds of bulbs or annuals (i.a. tulips ("tulipanten", more than 40 pages), daffodils, crocuses, lilies, irises, ranunculus, cornflowers, French rose, Helleborus), with all the information about which wind and moon phase are good for sewing, the different variations of each, growing, managing, curing diseases, hibernation, colours, the managing of "jenoffels, oft pot-blommen" (carnations), etc. 2. The trees section (with a separate title page "Het tweede boeck genaemt de nieuwe pracktycke om alle boomen te zaeyen ende te gouverneren naer eysch vande conste vande agriculture"): likewise information on exotic & fruit trees, and shrubs (i.a. sugarcane, lemon, orange, fig, plum, pomegranate, olive, pear, walnut, juniper, jasmine, roses, laurel, cypress, privet, pepper, rosemary, vines, berries, cherry). This work has a double historical importance: both as a rich summary of the scientific and practical knowledge of 17th-c. horticulture, and linguistically, the work describes all the sorts and variations of plants in the vernacular, with many elements and plant names coming from the spoken language of the Ghent region (i.a. verkens-broot, haenen-clauw, stoffelieren, jenoffels, spinnecoppen, nies-cruyt, etc.). The author, an ardent and erudite gardener, founded a society for plant enthusiasts in 1669. In preface a dedication to the prior of the Abbey, Livinus vander Saren, "grooten lief-hebber van alderhande boomen ende blommen" and a poem by the author, "Dicht tot lof vande boomen ende blommen". Woodcut initials and endpieces.
Ref. Bibl. gant. 1276. - STCV. - Biogr. nat. XIX:224-226. - Not in Pritzel, Nissen.
Prov. "Jacobus van Lerberghe" (contemp. ownership entry on title). - "Jacobus Rottier" (contemp. ownership entry on dedication).