SALISBURY, William, The cottager's companion, or, a complete system of cottage horticulture: intended to instruct the industrious poor of Great Britain in the art of cottage gardening. London: printed for, and sold by the author, at the Botanic Garden, Sloane Street. 1817.

12mo., vii + (1) + (3) - 78pp., wanting the half-title, many leaves unattractively foxed, well bound recently in half calf over marbled boards.

First edition.

A little guide-book for literate rural families. Much here about the essential value of home-made manures. Chapters include: On the different varieties of vegetables cultivated for culinary purposes and a monthly calendar of jobs to do. The last chapter is A list of wild plants useful for culinary purposes. The list of about 45 such plants includes Butterwort, cloud-berry, dandelion, fat-hen, hops, lady's smock, meadow-sweet, ox-tongue, salt-wort, sea-peas, solomons-seal, stinging nettle, water-cress and wood-sage. William Salisbury (d. 1823) was a botanist and plantsman and one time friend and partner of William Curtis (d. 1791), inheriting from him the Brompton botanic garden.