
          65

Blagrave, Joseph (1610-1682)

Above dates from McDonald, Agr. Writers
(1908), p.124. Watt, Bib. Brit. 1 : 119 ,
gives a Joseph Blagrave, mathematician, with
dates 1616-1679, who published the supplement
to Culpeper’s "English physician" (1660).
Cecil, Hist. Gard. Eng., 2d ed., p.348, gives
"S. B., Samuel Blagrave or as some say Billingsley". 
But the author's initials in the
title of all accessible eds. are "J. B.", which
does not indicate the name Samuel. Moreover,
the 1675, 1685 and perhaps other issues were
published by "B. Billingsley", which may account 
for that attribution. The Brit. Mus. Cat.
does not recognize Blagrave as author, entering
merely under "B., J., Gent", without even a
reference from Blagrave. (MFW)

The epitome of the art of husbandry. Comprizing
all necessary directions for the improvement of it.
By J. B., Gent. London, 1669. 306 p. (Brit. Mus.)

1669 is apparently the original ed., noted
as such by McDonald, Agr. Writers, p.124, 205;
Cecil, p. 348; and Martyn, in Miller's Gardener's 
and botanist's dictionary, 1:xxv (1807).
McDonald, p.124, and Johnson, Hist. Eng. Gard.
(1829), p.115, observe that the work is a
plagiary of earlier authors, the first 181
pages being copied from Fitzherbert, others
from Mascall, Blythe, etc.

-----  [With appendix: New additions to the art of
husbandry] London, 1670. (Brit. Mus.)

Brit. Mus. Cat. does not give full collation,
but says pt.2 has separate paging, and includes
the title "New additions" &c. in the entry, so
it is evident that the appendix of 1675 had already 
been included in the 1670 ed. The introduction 
of the 1685 ed. refers to it as a 4th
impression, which may mean 4th issue of the
augmented ed. of 1670.

-----  London, Printed for B. Billingsley, 1675. 246,
136 p. (Dept. Agr.; Arn. Arb.; Mass. Hort. Soc.; Brit. Mus.)

Reviewed in Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London,
10 : 326 - 327, May 24, 1675.

-----  London, 1678. (McDonald, l.c., p. 205 )

-----  London, Printed for B. Billingsley, 1685.
" 4th impression". 246, 136 p.  (Harvard; Brit. Mus.)
        