‎VOTHMANN, JOHANN GEORG.‎
‎Garten-Katechismus für Landleute. - [PRIZEWORK ON HOW TO CULTIVATE A GARDEN]‎

‎Leipzig Weidmann und Reich, 1783. 8vo. In contemporary marbled paper covered boards. Corners bumped and with some loss of paper to spine. Internally nice and clean. (20), 180 pp. + 1 folded plate. ‎

Reference : 60972

‎The exceedingly rare first edition of Vothmann’s prizewinning work: a guide to farmers on how to cultivate a garden. In 1779, The Royal Danish agricultural Society in Copenhagen announced a prize. An author was to create a guide on how to maintain farm gardens. The instruction to be formulated in the form of a catechism with questions and answers, should be suitable for farmers. Vothmann thought that farmers from the “German provinces of Denmark” would be of little help with a work in the Danish language. Therefore, he participated with a German guide, which was submitted in January 1781 after the deadline. The guide was well received by the society, which covered the costs of printing. It received a second award. It was probably printed in the autumn of 1782 but bore the year 1783 on the title page. Johann Georg Vothmann was a German horticulturalist and author. He is known for his contributions to agricultural literature, particularly regarding the cultivation and maintenance of gardens specifically aimed at farmers and urban gardeners.‎