Horticulture

1806 · rif. 58818 — Philadelphia: Printed by B. Graves No. 40 1806. Thick 8vo. v 1 648 18 index pp. With 1 text diagram for planting Hyacinth bulbs 1 large folding table “Of the progress of vegetation in Pennsylvania compared with that of the some of the famous wine countries of Europe.” Contemporary full tree calf gilt & red morocco spine label gilt ruling on spine chipping head of spine tidemark through lower corner of textblock from wicking occasional slight foxing very light interior uniform toning 1 closed tear at gutter margin of large folding table still a good copy w/ former ownership bookplate & shelf no. on front pastedown. First edition of the first notable horticultural work and nursery seed catalogue printed in the United States by this Irish-American nurseryman who corresponded and traded specimens with President Thomas Jefferson at Monticello as well as cultivated specimens collected during the Lewis & Clark expedition. McMahon before 1765-1816 immigrated from Ireland during political unrest and by 1802 had established his popular nurseries including greenhouses experimental gardens and hot houses near the Germantown Turnpike between Philadelphia and Nicetown. These contained useful and ornamental plants adapted to the American climate and in this detailed volume he outlines month-by-month the instructions for erecting and laying out the plants their cultivation and has incorporated as appendix detailed catalogues of 18 separate classes for available specimens. Eventually McMahon was able to cultivate and began selling a variety of plants collected from the Lewis & Clark Expedition including a fragrant currant Ribes odaritissimum and he also successfully cultivated Osage orange trees Maclura pomifera which were among the most celebrated specimens. The book became a classic work in the United States reprinted in 11 editions from 1806 to 1857 and urged American gardeners to incorporate indigenous species into their ornamental plantings. See: Hedrick History of Horticulture in America to 1860 1988; Alexander Brey Bernard M’Mahon History of Early American Landscape Design National Gallery of Art 2022. Printed by B. Graves, No. 40, unknown