ELLIS, William.

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The Timber-Tree Improved: or, the Best Practical Methods of Improving Different Lands with Proper Timber. A later edition of this popular agricultural tract, the third in four years. Ellis was a well-respected authority, and farmers from all around the country invited him to visit and advise on their holdings. He here discusses trees including oak, beech, elm, ash, and cherry."A shrewd man of business", Ellis (d. 1758) was commissioned by London booksellers to write monthly instalments on husbandry, through which he also sold seeds and farming implements. However, those readers who visited his farm in Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, were disappointed to find that "he did not practise what he advocated in print, that his implements were old-fashioned, and that his land was neglected and in bad condition" (ODNB). His reputation as an agricultural authority nevertheless endured, with editions of his works continuing to appear into the late-18th century.The first edition was published in 1738.

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