LAURENCE, John.

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A New System of Agriculture. First edition of the author's magnum opus, with the bookplate to the title verso of Thomas Hamilton, 6th Earl of Haddington (1680-1735), a pioneer in Scottish agricultural improvement.Hamilton was "one of the first of the Scottish nobles and lairds who improved the amenity of their estates in the eighteenth century with the planting of trees, and who carried out afforestation on a large scale as a form of capital investment" (Henrey). He wrote A Treatise on the Manner of Raising Forest Trees, published in 1761 following his death.John Laurence (1668-1732) wrote four books on gardening and husbandry, all based on his transformation of the neglected garden at Yelvertoft. This is his longest and most substantial treatise, providing an extensive system of improving land both for farmers and for gardeners. He argues in favour of enclosure, presenting it as a step towards improving tillage and pasture farming, and as allowing fencing and ditching. He contends this will be to the benefit of the poor by providing employment.

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