
          33

August (or Augustus), elector of Saxony (cont.)

"Auszug eines briefs von einem unbekannten Ich,
über die liebe Churfürst Friedrich Augusts von
Sachsen zur obstkultur". Der Teutsche Obstgärtner.
14:134-138. (1800)

&quot;Auszug eines schreibens des Hrn. Hof- und Canzley-
rath von Laffert, in betreff des Obstgartenbüchlein
vom Churfürst August zu Sachsen, vom 11. Marz. 1801".
Der Teutsche Obstgärtner, 16:25-25 (1801).

With port, of Elector Augustus as front. v.16.

Augustus was the brother of the Elector Moritz,
under whom the electorate passed from the Ernestine
to the Albertine line, being descended from Albert
by his son Heinrich der Fromme. See Der Teutsche
Obstgärtner, 17:244-245 (1802), notes prefacing reprint 
of the 1620 ed. of the "Obstgartenbüchlein".

Karl Koch, "Die deutschen obstgehölze" (Stuttgart,
1876), p.288-289, says the Elector probably compiled
this special treatise as early as 1555, only two
years after the beginning of his reign. He was encouraged 
in fruit growing by his wife Anna, to whom
the Emperor Maximilian once sent two wagon loads of
trees of the finest fruits of Hungary. They also received 
cuttings from the Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse,
the Count of Nassau, Bishop of Salzburg, and others.
But Koch says the "Obstbüchlein" is full of superstitions, 
and is written in a mystical spirit, so
that it made no great practical contribution to the
science of fruit culture.

British Museum enters this book under "Augustus I,
called the Pious, Elector of Saxony".

Miltitz, Bib. Bot., col.286, gives two entries for
the 1620 ed., under "Obstgartenbüchlein" and "Kostliches 
[evidently an error for "Künstliches"] obstgartenbüchlein".
        