This beautiful edition of Beeton's New Dictionary of Every-day Gardening was published by Ward, Lock and Co Ltd in 1897. So the book is late Victorian. It consists of a Popular Cyclopaedia of the Theory and Practise of Horticulture, Floriculture and Pomology in All their Various Branches; to which is added a Monthly Calendar of Garden Work Throughout the Year. It is an entirely "New Edition Completely Re-Written, Thoroughly Revised and Considerably Extended" with 550 illustrations.
The book is bound in green cloth with gilt floral detail blind stamped to the front and spine. It's in good condition but there is light marking and soiling to the cloth. The corners show some wear with slight splitting to the cloth at the bottom corners. The spine is sunned and crushing to the spine ends has caused slight splitting in the cloth. There is some chipping to the surface colour of the front board (top right corner).
Inside, there is brown staining to the top edge of (roughly) the first third of the pages. The hinges are slightly cracked but the pages remain tightly bound and there are other cracks to the gutter in places. The pages show age toning throughout, with occasional foxing and creasing to the paper. There is a small tear to the bottom of pages 129-136 (this does not reach the text).
The book features 6 colour plates and 550 black and white illustrations with the text.
Dimensions approximately 20.3cm x 13.7cm x 4.5cm.
The book will arrive hand wrapped in patterned wallpaper and string.
I use a range of eco friendly, 100% recyclable jiffy bags and boxes, and whenever possible I use brown paper tape. The green bubbled wrap is biodegradable and the clear bubble wrap is 100% recyclable. I also reuse boxes when I feel it's appropriate (if the boxes are sturdy enough).