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Pomona, or the Fruit -Garden illustrated, 1729

This very early book, beautifully illustrated with 79 plates, includes many aspects of establishing and maintaining fruit gardens and the cultivation of many different fruits. Pomona was the Roman Goddess of fruit trees, abundance and plenty.

2024 RGSSA 8218

Pomona, or the Fruit Garden Illustrated, Containing sure methods for Improving All the Best Kinds of FRUITS, now extant in England by Batty Langley of Twickenham,1729.

Among the fruits included in Langley's book Pomona are - apples, apricots, pears, grapes, plums, cherries, currants, figs, nectarines, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and quinces.

An example from the Index-

  • Figs, their Soil
  • How propagated
  • Their cuttings and layers not to be topp'd.
  • Their fruits how produced
  • Kinds that ripen in England
  • Manner of pruning
  • When ripe

Langley also provided helpful hints on subjects such as evaporation with worked examples of the calculation -

"Now say, if in 40 days, 136 Gallons are evaporated from the Surface of one Rod, how many are evaporated in 154 Days?
ANSWER. 523, which will appear by multiplying 154 by 136 and dividing their product by 40, the Quotient will be 523 as aforesaid."

Another example of his advice regards planting - 

"Trees planted in light warm Soils, in October, or sooner if the Season permits, will strike Root before the Winter comes on, and vigorously shoot in spring: But if Trees are planted at that Season in very wet cold Lands, the too much Moisture will rot their Roots, or at least chill them so very much that they very seldom recover it."

Batty Langley often used extravagant language as shown by the final paragraphs from his dedication to the Queen - 

"That Your Majesty may long continue an Ornament to the Royal Dignity, an Example to Your Sex, the Delight of Your Subjects, and Admiration of Europe, is the fervent Prayer of,
May it please Your Majesty?
Your Majesty’s most Dutiful,
And most Loyal Subject,
Batty Langley"

Batty Langley fruits
Batty Langley fruits

rgsp 634 L283 d 1729 Shelf 12, Cabinet 4.

From the Royal Collection Trust-

"Batty Langley (bap. 1696, d. 1751) was born in Twickenham, the son of a gardener. He initially followed his father's profession, creating designs for gardens in a new style which he called 'arti-natural', that signalled the beginnings of rococo style in England. However, he soon changed his focus to the more lucrative business of architecture. Langley argued in print for a revival of interest in old English gothic architecture.
Langley published numerous books on architecture and design, including many handbooks and design patterns for the use of builders and craftsmen. Many of these were illustrated with engravings by his brother Thomas. Although he was dismissed by some of his contemporaries such as Horace Walpole and Thomas Gray, his books were popular, especially in America.
Pomona is one of his books on gardening. It concerns the cultivation of different fruits in gardens."

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