
          91b

Bradley, Richard. A general treatise (cont.)

and probably consists solely of supplementary matter not found in the
monthly numbers. The paging of the 1726 ed. is very different; and
to judge from the title, the text must have been rearranged at least,
whether all the supplementary matter was included or not.

On the evidence of titles, collations and publisher’s names, it
seems rather plausible that Peele's edition may have been the first,
and Woodward’s a reissue of it at a later date with additions. However, 
we find the names of Peele and Woodward associated in the issue
of Bradley’s "Dictionarium botanicum" in 1728, and there might have
been a more or less continuous association between them in the publication 
of Bradley’s works, so that without examination of all the imprints 
we cannot assume that Peele had nothing further to do with the
"General treatise of husbandry".

There is internal evidence that the first parts of the work were
actually published in 1721. In general there is considerable information 
relating to that year, indicating the timeliness of the numbers. 
Pages 255-260 are a meteorological record for June 2-7, 1721.
Vol.2, p.14 (October number) has a letter dated Oct. 6, 1721; and v.2,
p.21, in the same issue, has a letter dated Sept. 9, 1721, referring
to a certain page in the May issue, i.e. May of that same year, so
it is certain that the original parts for April and May, 1721, must
have come out pretty near the times indicated. Again, in v.2, p.331
(March issue) is a mention of a stove built by Mr. Fairchild of Hoxton, 
"Ann. 1721", and remarking "This month I have observed" certain
plants, etc., there. "This month" would seem to refer to March, and
if the stove was built in 1721, it would be the March of 1722; wherefore 
it seems as if the March number, last of the annual series, was
issued not long after that date.

The entry in Cat. Lib. Roy. Agr. Soc. England (1918), p.43, for
"A general treatise of husbandry and gardening for the month of Oct.
[Nov. and Dec.]. London, 1718", must be an error, possibly caused
by the binding of these parts with some of Bradley’s earlier works
such as the "New improvements of planting and gardening". The Kew
Garden Library Cat. has an entry for an incomplete copy consisting
of the months of April to October, for which a bracketed date 1723
has been supplied, but, as we have seen, the actual issue in parts
must have been from April 1721 to March 1722.
(MFW)
        