THE AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM: DESIGNED TO BE A REPOSITORY OF VALUABLE INFORMATION TO THE FARMER AND MANUFACTURER, AND THE MEAN OF A FREE COMMUNICATION OF SENTIMENT, AND GENERAL INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS, ON THE IMPORTANT SUBJECTS OF THEIR OCCUPATIONS. VOLUME ONE.
Georgetown, Ca. (i.e., District of Columbia): printed for the editor, by W.A. Rind, 1811. First edition (a second volume was published the following year). 8vo. (2), 336, [339]-392 pp. This volume contains the 24 issues included in volume one, including the first, published by the editor David Wiley, on July 4, 1810. "Agricultural subjects were treated in all the scientific magazines, and in the periodicals of general circulation … but it was not until 1810, apparently, that any periodical was devoted wholly to agriculture. In that year, under the date of Independence Day, the Rev. David Wiley issued the first number of the Agricultural Museum, a small octavo of thirty-two pages, at Georgetown, D.C." (Mott's History of American Magazines, vol. I, pp. 152-153). The magazine had no subscribers to begin with, but, as it was designed to be "a convenient appendage to the Columbian Agricultural Society," it was probably supported by that membership. Wiley produced issues semi-monthly for this first volume, and then eleven monthly installments for a second volume, before the enterprise went under. Contributions from Oliver Evans, Rinaldo Johnson, John Taylor of Caroline, and Robert R. Livingstone are among the essays, and treatises on sheep, manures, hemp, peach trees, wheat, and wine-making from native grapes are among the agricultural subjects considered. OCLC locates two copies of this periodical (Pennsylvania [complete for both volumes], American Antiquarian Society ["scattered issues missing"]). Spine eroded, with the printed label taken completely, pages 76 and 77 adhere due to old staining, else a very good untrimmed, mostly unopened copy. Original paper-backed marbled boards (rubbed). (#6171). Item #57691
Price: $1,500.00