TILE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN 
, October 25, 1859. 
A. INFLATES (inflated). Stem nearly erect, glabrous ; stipules 
lanceolate; leaflets linear-lanceolate; spikes globose; peduncles 
longer than leaves; calyx inflated, tomentose; legumes ovate. 
1 ft. Purple. July. Mendoza. 
A. eactieloeus (milk-flowered). Stem hairy; leaflets elliptic; 
racemes very short, axillary ; brads lanceolate-iinear ; calyx 
teeth lanceolate-linear, thrice as long as tube, but shorter than 
bracts ; corolla glabrous; legumes ovate, rather triquetrous, 
mucronate, woolly, many-seeded. Striped. June. Siberia. 
A.Laxmanni (Laxman’s). Plant erect or diffuse, smoothish ; 
leaflets oblong-lanceolate; spikes pedunculate, oblong, longer 
than leaves; vexillum much longer than wings; legumes oblong, 
. triagonal, furrowed on back, mucronate. 1 ft. Purple. August. 
Siberia, 
A. leoxtinus (lion-tail). Plant diffuse, rather shrubby at base, 
hairy; hairs fixed by their centre; stipules concrete, but be¬ 
coming free ; leaflets ovate ; peduncles triagonal, longer than 
leaves; legumes ovate, villous. 2 in. Blue. July. Austria, 
A. LlNEAKiFOLirs (linear-leaved). Plant erect, downy ; leaflets 
linear, acute; racemes much longer than leaves; vexillum 
broad, double length of wings. 6 in. Purple. July. Siberia. 
‘A. macrocephalus (large-headed). Stem glabrous, erect ; 
leaflets oblong-elliptic ; stipules large, acuminated ; spikes 
globose, pedunculate; calyx teetlnsubulate, long as tube, but 
. shorter than corolla. 4 ft. Yellow. June. Caucasus. 
A. maxiMus (greatest-fox-tail). Plant erect; leaflets lanceolate, 
downy; stipules oblong-lanceolate; spike sessile, cylindrical, 
nearly terminal; calyx teeth capillary, woolly, shorter than 
corolla. 3 ft.' Yellow. June. America. 
A. Monspessueanus (Montpelier). Plant almost stemless; in 
dry exposed places hoary-pubescent; in moist places almost 
glabrous ; leaflets ovate or lanceolate ; scapes longer than 
leaves ; calyx teeth long, subulate ; legumes terete, subulate, 
slightly arched. 1ft. Yellow. July. Prance. Evergreen trailer. 
A- albus (white). 1 ft. YVhite. July. South 
of Europe. Evergreen trailer. 
A. oxobrycuis (purple-spiked). Plant diffuse or erect, downy; 
■ leaflets oblong ; spikes oblong-ovate, pedunculate, longer than 
leaves ; vexillum linear, double length of wings ; legumes ovate, 
triquetrous, villous, erect, ending in a straight point, cells four- 
" seeded. 1J ft. Purple. July. Austria. 
A. otopteeis (entire-winged), Plant diffuse; leaflets linear, 
glabrous, entire, acutish; racemes pedunculate, more than 
twice length of leaves; corolla wings obtuse. 1 ft. Pale blue. 
July. Altai. 
A. platyphyelus (broad-leaved). 1 ft. Pale yellow. July. 
Siberia. 
A. puepuretts (purple). Plant diffuse, procumbent, villous; 
stipules concrete, opposite leaves ; leaflets' obovate, bi-dentate 
at top ; spikes capitat e .peduncles longer than leaves ; legumes 
.erect, oyate-triquetrous, hairy ; cells three-seeded. 3 in. Purple. 
July.- ©.of Prance. 
A-Atelea (star-podded). Plant diffuse, procumbent, hoary; 
stipules lanceolate; leaflets elliptifc-oblong; peduncles about 
, length of leaves; legumes almost terete, furrowed on back, 
.hairy, mucronate ; cells five to ten-seeded. 6 in. Blue. July, 
^f Prance..... . 
A. stipuea'ius (large-stipuled). Plant wed, -glabrous ; stipules 
concrete, large, foliaceous ; leaflets oval-oblong, orr-obovate- 
mucronate; peduncles length of leaves; spikes louse, at first 
erect, finally drooping; legumes compressed, stipitate, glabrous, 
drooping. 1 ft. Yellow. June. Nepaul. 
A. STTBTXEATCS (awl-shaped). Plant diffuse, hoary; leaflets 
linear; racemes pedunculate, loose, longer than leaves ; lower 
. flowers remote; legumes subulate, triquetrous, rather arched, 
, erectish, five times length of calyx. 9 in. Purple. July. 
Siberia. 
A. taurictjs (Taurian). Plant tufted, spreading, downy; leaflets 
linear, acute; stipules membranous, concrete, opposite the 
leaves; peduncles spicate, thrice length of leaves; legumes 
ovate, acute, two to four-seeded. 6 in. Purple. July. Tauria. 
Y. VE8ICA.RIUS (bladder-culyced). Plant diffuse, procumbent, 
hoary; leaflets elliptic; peduncles longer thaii leaves; calyx 
bladdery, with black down, and long white spreading hairs; 
legumes hairy, longer than calyx. 1 ft. Whitish-yellow. 
, July. Europe. Trailer. 
A. vulpincs (fox). Stem erect, glabrous; leaflets obovate, 
obtuse, or emargmate, velvety ; spikes nearly globose; pe- 
• duncles short; calyx teeth setaceous, length of tube, shorter 
than corolla. 2 ft. Light-yellow, July. Caucasus. 
The Milk Vetches are a pretty tribe of useful plants, many of 
them are evergreen trailers suitable to cover naked banks; 
though all of them will thrive well on a common border in sandy 
loam. 
Propagated by dividing the plants in spring; but many species 
require to be propagated by cuttings taken off in spring, and 
placed in sand under a hand-glass, shaded from the sun, and 
when rooted planted out where they arc to grow. Some of them 
produce seeds, which should be saved when ripe, and sown in a 
warm border in the spriug. When large enough, transplant the 
seedlings in patches of threes where they are to bloom. There 
are about as many 7 more species as those we have here named, 
but we have selected the best. T. Appeeby. 
(To he continued .) 
THE FIRST TREATISE OH THE CULTIVATION 
OF THE SOIL OF ENGLAND. 
Sir Anthony Eitzheebert died in 1538, and four years 
previous to that he published “ The Boke of Husbandry.” It 
was “ Imprynted at London in Elete-strete, in the house of 
Thomas Berthelet, ucre to the Condite, at the sygne of Lucrece.” 
This is believed to have been published in 1534, but was the 
second edition, for a copy was possessed by the late Mr. Heber, 
“Imprynted by 7 Rycharde Pynson,” and dated 1523.* This has 
been considered the first original publication on English Agri¬ 
culture, for Tusser’s “A Hundredth good Pointes of Husbancfrie,” 
was first printed in 1557, “at London, in Flete-strete, within 
Temple barre, at the sygue of the hand and starre, by Richard 
Totell.” 
There is as early, if not an earlier, work, however, even than 
that of Eitzherbert’s. It is entitled as follows:— 
“ Here begymnetli a tratyse of Husbandry 7 which mayster 
Groshecle, sometyme byshop of Lyncoln, made and translated it 
out of Erenshe into Englyshe, which techeth all manner of men 
to goveme theyr londes tenements, and demenes, ordinatly as 
the chapytres evidently is shewed.”! 
Now, whether or not this “tratyse” was written by “Mayster 
Groshede,” it is quite certain that it was printed by Wyukyn 
de Worde, who was Pynson’s contemporary, their earliest books 
being printed in the same year, 1493, and they continued rivals 
and publishing the same books until the date of Wynkyn de 
W orde’s death in 1534. A few instances may be quoted. De 
Worde published Mons Perfcctionis in 1497, and Pynson did so 
the same year; Pynson published Dines and Pauper, in 1493, 
and De Worde issued it in 1496 ; De Worde brought out The 
Siege of Troy in 1503, as did Pynson in 1513. That Wynkyn 
de W orde did print the “ tratyse ” is proved by the copy, 
the only one known to exist, in the University Library at 
Cambridge. It has his monogram, and is, beyond a doubt, from 
the same sharp, broacl-faced old English type, and of the same 
black, unbrowned ink as gave birth to other acknowledged works 
from his press. It is without a date; but either it was published 
as a rival to Eitzherbert’s “Boke,’! or this “Boke” was pub¬ 
lished to oppose Grosseteste’s “ Tratyse.” 
It is a small quarto of twelve leaves. On the first page is a 
woodcut representing a steward or other party of authority, who, 
with hands outstretched in astonishment, is reprehending a 
woodman, who certainly needed the reproof, for he is cutting off 
the top of a tree by the blows of an axe, which have made a 
ruinous gap half-way up the trunk. 
As it is certain that it was printed by Wynkyn de Worde, so 
is it equally beyond a doubt that it treats of English husbandry. 
Grosseteste may have first “made” it in French, and then 
“ translated it out of Frenshe into Englyshe,” but still the truth 
is apparent that it is written concerning English husbandry, all 
the measures are English, and so are all the attendant particulars. 
* Mr. Bradshaw, of the University Library, Cambridge, has favoured us 
with the following note :—There is a copy in the University Library at 
Cambridge (X— 15— 30), printed “ in the house of Thomas Berthelet here 
to the condite at the sygne of Lucrece. Cum privilegio," hut without anv 
date. The title is, “ The Buke of Husbandry,” within Berthelet’s wood- 
cut frame, on the sill of which is cut 1534 ; but this only implies that the 
book was not printed before that year. It is in 13 sheets in 8vo. B_M 
whole sheets, N a quarter sheet, and A at the beginning three quarters of 
a sheet. The two copies in the University Library correspond in every¬ 
thing. AVe think the date correct; for no printer would wish to make 
his book appear to be of older date than it really was. 
+ Somebody rendered it into Latin it seems, “ De Agricultura (Trans¬ 
lation lib. i., Mss. Coll. Magdal. Oxon, 57, olim in Bibl. Monast. Syon. 
l in Bibl. Westmin.”— [Teyye’s Life of Robert Grosseteste.) 
