Trees.- Evelyn (John) Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-Trees and the Propagation of Timber, 3 parts in 1, first edition, initial licence leaf, title in red and black with engraved arms of the Royal Society, part 3 printed in red and black, with the "Animadversion" and "Sir Paul Neiles second paper" leaves, a few woodcut illustrations, errata leaf at end, without cancel leaf H1 as usual, some splitting at gutter or pages starting to work loose, some light marginal browning or spotting, a few instances of minor soiling, eighteenth century panelled calf, spine ends chipped, lower joint cracked, [Wing E3516; Henrey 132; Keynes 40; Hunt 296], folio, by Jo. Martyn and Ja. Allestry, Printers to the Royal Society, 1664.

⁂ Important and still relevant work on trees and their management. Keynes calls it 'Evelyn's most celebrated horticultural work'. It was originally delivered to the Royal Society in 1662 in concern at the deforestation of England. The second part concerns fruit trees and cider.

Provenance: "Thomas Weddell Esq of Waddow" dated 1773 (ink inscription front endpaper) and another inscription "Ex Dono Roberti Smith de Waddington in Comitatu Eboraci"?. Possibly Robert Waddington, mathematician, astronomer and navigator of the Royal Society, most famous for his observation of the transit of Venus from St. Helena in 1761.