i8o AGRICULTURAL WRITERS. 



the Court of Common Pleas, and here is a copy of one of his bills for 

 seeds sold to Lord Fairfax : 



To the Rt. Honcr'ble the Lord Fairfax, 



Feby. 27th, 173! Per Stephen Switzer. 



£s. <L 



3lbs. French furze seed, 3s. 6d. ; Jib. Lucerne, i6s 19 6 



ilb. Dutch clover, 17s. ; i doz. garden mats, Ss i 5 o 



loz. endive, 6d. ; loz. white Cos Lettuce, gd. ; loz purslane, 6d .... i q 



loz. alisander, 4d. ; 2oz Spanish Cardoons, i8d. ; 2oz. brocoli, i8d. 3 4 



loz. red cabbage, IS. ; 20Z. melon, gourd, &c., 2s. 6d 3 6 



Aoz. tomato, 6d. ; loz. finochio, is i 6 



20Z, Turnip radish, IS. ; 100 cytisus plants, 5s 6 o 



1 gallon Hander's Hotspur pea 2 o 



2 qts. Marrowfat pea, is. ; 2 qts. Spanish Mulatto, is 2 o 



loz. Cauliflower seed, 3s. ; i peck Windsor beans, 2s 5 o 



Box I 6 



£3 II I 

 It is interesting to note the cost of his Dutch clover and lucerne 

 seeds, which can be bought to-day at about one shilling a pound. 



His garden was at Millbank. Where he resided I have been unable to 

 determine, but he dates his " Disertation on the True Cytisus of the 

 Ancients" in 1731 from New Palace Yard, Westminster. It is on 

 record that he died in 1745. 



It is an instance of the partiality of fame that of this intelligent man 

 no contemporary authors make mention, whilst of others, infinitely his 

 inferiors at tvery point, we have full particulars. This neglect, and 

 even persecution, attended him through life. It appears from his own 

 account in 1731 that some "great man some years deceased charged 

 him with not finishing his work, and embezzling several hundred pounds, 

 the falsity of which is visible, and speaks for itself." His brother traders 

 also opposed him with considerable acrimony because he was not bred 

 to trade. Neglect, says Johnson*, has pursued him beyond the grave, 

 for his works are seldom mentioned or quoted as authorities of the age he 

 lived in. To me he appears to be the best author of his time, and if 

 called upon to point out the classic authors on the subject, Switzer 

 should be one of the first on whom I should lay my finger. His works 

 are evidence that he was a sound, practical man, well versed in the 

 botanical science of the day in its most enlarged sense, of considerable 

 classical and literary attainments, above all, that he was a religious 

 character, and they completely warrant us in receiving as correct the 

 modest notice he takes of himself in the preface to the first volume of 

 " Icnographia Rustica." That by misfortune he had been reduced to a 

 humble station in gardening he often indicates. From the above- 

 mentioned preface we also learn that he had travelled on the Continent, 



* " History of Gardening.'' 



