" Leiden, Abraham Kallewier, Jan and Herman Verbeek, and Pieter vander Eyk, 1737, in-4°, 25,5 x 20,5 cm, title + (1)(bl) + (3)nn pp + xii + (1)nn pp + (6)nn pp (index + privilege) + 412 pp + (14)(bladwyzer) + 15 with 15 folding engraved plates and one illustration in text. Contemporary full vellum, contemporary name made illegible on title leaf, but a fine copy. First edition of Pieter de la Court's treatise on gardening, hothouses, and pineapple and citrus fruit cultivation. Pieter de la Court van der Voort, a cloth merchant at Leiden, discusses in this book theoretical aspects of garden design. He published the book in 1737 based on 50 years of experience. He practised his ideas at his estate ""Allemansgeest"" (today's ""Berbice"") at Voorschoten near Leiden... Besides a theoretical treatise de la Court also gives much practical information on gardening. He discusses amply the cultivation of the pineapple, one of his favourite subjects. He grew these plants in quantities and kept them during the winter in a heated glasshouse and in summer in the ""tan frame"". He is considered to have been the first to successfully cultivate the pineapple on a large scale in northern Europe. Nine plates illustrate citrus fruit, pineapples, and a tuberose. Five of these are by Jan Wandelaar. The other four are by J.C. Philips. The remaining six plates comprise one plan and five designs of glasshouses, by J. van der Spyk and F. van Bleyswyck. (See Berlin Catalogue 3406)."