Rare collection of four works on the country life, the ideal estate or manor house and housekeeping of such an estate, on sowing seeds of plants, herbs, vegetables, grains, etc. in all seasons, and on all kinds of fruits. Each work has its own pagination and series of signatures, but only ads 1 and 3 have a true title-page. All four share many features and they may have been designed to be issued together, where those without title-pages could be bound after one with a title-page.
Ad 1, by Monsieur De Rosny, appears here in its first edition and has chapters on cultivation, the harvesting of grapes and how to make wine, lumber, determine prices, deal in cattle, etc., with an alphabetical list of the terms used on pp. 116-131.
Ad 2 describes the ideal country house, including its gardens. It takes the form of a letter, signed "I.C" (perhaps meaning J.C.) and addressed to a Monsieur B.A.E.P.
Ad 3 is a treatise on sowing seeds of plants, herbs, vegetables, grains, flowers, etc. in all seasons, first published in 1679 and 1689, with the Idée that here precedes it added at the end.
Ad 4 discusses fruits, with a method of cultivation of fruit trees, first published anonymously in 1670 but attributed to Claude de Saint Etienne in the second edition of 1687. Other sources attribute it to Jean Merlet. The three works added to the Rosny were all originally published by Prudhommes uncle and master Charles de Sercy.
Manuscript inscription on the title-page of the first work. In good condition. Ad 1: Goldsmiths Lib. 4596; ads 1 & 4: Librorum impressorum qui in Museo Brittanico adservantor catalogus, under Rosny; not in Bitting.