Farming Info from Long Ago!

The next group of books I have chosen stays with the overview of farming theme.  The first is Roman Farm Management, which is the collected works of Cato and Varro from the 2nd century BC.  The translation into English from Latin is from 1913.  Much of the advice given by these learned ancients appears fairly valid today, despite the fact that they did not have the science behind their understanding that we have.  And many of the things they espoused were "rediscovered" in the early 20th century, such as green manures and rigorous management of fallow ground.

The second book, Sketches of Rural Affairs, was published in 1858, also in England, and is listed as a book suitable for presents by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.  It includes some history of the farm and tools, as well as Biblical quotes and fairly practical instructions.  For instance, the author not only explains why cutting wheat too early or too late is a bad thing, but tells the novice farmer how to tell when the grain is ready.

The third selection, The National Farmer's and Housekeeper's Cyclopedia from 1888, was published in New York.  This is a large book that includes topics on farming, such as farm building, fences, livestock, field crops, garden crops and orchard crops; but also includes household topics, such as cooking, "fancy work", home medicine and laundry.  It finishes with a large section that is simply miscellaneous hints and tips.  The hints are in no particular order, and range from things like "To make fruit extracts" to "The best kinds of beds".

I am planning to move on to more specific topics next, probably starting with Kitchen Gardening.

I hope you enjoy these collections!

Roman Farm Management - 2nd Century BC

 Sketches of Rural Affairs - 1858

The National Farmer's and House Keepers Cyclopaedia - 1888

Encyclopedia of Household Knowledge from the 1800s

Cassell, Petter and Galpin was a publishing house in London that printed a lot of books in England in it's time.  The volumes entitled Cassell's Household Guide:  A Complete Encyclopaedia of Domestic and Social Economy and Forming a Guide to Every Department of Practical Life, Volumes 1 through 3.

These volumes, at about 500 pages each in very small type, comprise knowledge on everything from cooking to cleaning to farm buildings and livestock.  They are written in cycling topics, such that a topic continues on every three or four pages, with other topics in between. 

Topics include: the house, cooking, carving (meats), medicine, raising children, pets,
tools, aquariums, furniture, gardening, farming, health and skincare, livestock, clothing, and decor.  These are just the subjects in the first 50 pages of volume 1!

Granted, the recipes may require a search engine to figure out what the ingredients actually are, due mainly to the facts that these are 125 years old and British.

This collection is very wide ranging in its scope and entertaining as well as enlightening as to the skills and knowledge required to keep a household, farm  or homestead going on a daily basis.

Cassell's Household Guide, Volume 1 - 1869

 Cassell's Household Guide, Volume 2 - 1869

 Cassell's Household Guide, Volume 3 - 1869

General Life on the Farm

This week's selections include three books that are general overviews of life and work on the farm in the 1800s.  They include Husbandry and Rural Affairs, published in Philadelphia in 1801; Cottage Economy, published in 1833 in New York; and Cottage Farming, published in London in 1870.  Keep in mind that some of the things they "knew" were incorrect or simply a portion of the whole, and practicing what they suggest is at your own risk.  There is no life guard on duty at this swimming hole.

I had to look up some terms as I read them, for instance: a perch is a linear measurement equal to 16.5 feet, and a dibble is a pointed stick used for making a hole to plant a seed in.  These books cover a wide range of skills necessary to survive on a plot of land, but often they assume knowledge that may be missing in modern life: for instance at one point in Cottage Economy the author says that "As to the act of making bread, it would be shocking indeed if that had to be taught by the means of books", assuming everyone reading the book will already know how to make bread.  He follows this up in the next chapter by actually teaching bread making for those that do not, but other knowledge is sometimes left out because of the universal understanding assumed (which was probably known by the readers of the time).

All in all, these are great general knowledge texts for an overview of life and work in the rural homesteads and farmsteads of the 1800s, and will make a good addition to any library.  Enjoy!

Husbandry and Rural Affairs - 1801

Cottage Economy - 1833

Cottage Farming -1870