CRESCENTIIS, PETRUS DE.

DE AGRICULTURA, OMNIBUSQUE PLANTARUM, & ANIMALIUM GENERIBUS, LIBRI XII. BASEL, H. PETRI, 1538, AUGUST.

      4to. Contemporary blindstamped vellum, red painted edges. Woodcut printer's device on title and on verso of the last leaf. (38), 564 (=574), (2) pp. The best work on agriculture written in the Middle Ages, by Petrus Crescentiis (Bologna 1230-1320). Modelled on classical authors on the same subject - such as Cato, Varro and Columellus - but with many first hand observations and experiences added by Crescentiis, the work has had a great impact, first in Italy itself, later also through the whole of Europe. The first edition was published as early as 1471 at Augsburg, Germany and at the same time also at Strassbourg, both editions under the title Opus ruralium commodorum. These editions being very rare, the present Basel edition from 1538 is the best known, forming the basis for all later editions. Pritzel 1966; VD 16, P 1831 (3 copies); Nouv. Biogr. Univ., 11 (1855), col. 430-32; cf. Hunt 58 (ed. 1548); not in Nissen.