Volume 1

Flora rustica: exhibiting ... figures of such plants as are either useful or injurious in husbandry. Vol. I[-IV] / Drawn and engraved by Frederick P. Nodder ... With scientific characters, popular descriptions, and useful observations, by Thomas Martyn.

  • Martyn, Thomas, 1735-1825
Date:
1792-1794 [i.e. 1791-1795]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Flora rustica: exhibiting ... figures of such plants as are either useful or injurious in husbandry. Vol. I[-IV] / Drawn and engraved by Frederick P. Nodder ... With scientific characters, popular descriptions, and useful observations, by Thomas Martyn. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE PREFACE. The flow progrefs which many ufeful arts have made even in civilifed countries, may, perhaps, be attributed, at lead in great meafure, to the want of a coalition between Scientific and Practical men. The latter have too frequently defpifed the former as mere fpeculatifls; whilft men of fcience have looked fupercilioufly on the Ample pradfitioner. This re- mark may be applied, too juftly, we fear, to the important art of Hufbandry. Very few fcientific men have heretofore condefcended to employ their talents on an employment merely ufeful, conducted by the mean unlettered peafant: and very few indeed of thofe to whofe lot it has fallen to till the foil, have been acquainted with theory themfelves, or have been able even to profit by the theory of others. But happily for mankind, the feene is now changed, and Britain takes the lead in placing the fit ft of arts on a firm bafis, in eftablifhing it on rational and philofo- phic principles. Agriculture cannot fail of becom- ing a profeflion as honourable among us as it was among the ancient Romans, fince the chief of our nobility and gentry cultivate their own lands on an extenfive fcale, and it receives the fandtion and ex- ample of Majefty itfelf. The Society of Arts alfo has greatly encouraged improvements in hufbandry by their liberal offers of premiums; and an extenfive