Robert Thompson; William Watson [ed.] — The Gardener&Apos;S Assistant: A Practical and Scientific Exposition of the Art of Gardening in All Its Branches

London, The Gresham Publishing Company , 1902-1903 . Cloth. A beautifully illustrated five volume set of the new edition of Victorian gardener Robert Thompson's detailed guide to gardening. A five volume set, lacking the sixth. The new editions, revised and entirely remodelled under the direction and general editorship of William Watson.Originally published in 1859, this work by emminent Victorian gardener Robert Thompson provides a comprehensive and detailed collection of tips and techniques for gardening, from fruit to flowers.Each volume is illustrated with a coloured frontispiece, with 10 coloured plates, 22 monochrome plates, and in text illustrations throughout the five volumes. Collated, lacking plate 'Herbaceous Borders and Bed' to p.341 of Vol II, and 'Iris Garden at Kew' to p.452, and the coloured plate 'Picotee' to Vol III. In the publisher's original cloth bindings. Bumping to the heads and tails of the spines, with rubbing to joints. Slight fading and rubbing to boards, with the odd mark. The odd light spotting to endpapers. Splitting of cloth to front joint of vol IV. Ink inscription to front free endpaper of volume V. Internally, binding fragile to middle of volume III. Title page and contents page disbound from volume II, inserted loosely into the volume. Pages are bright and clean, with spotting to the front and rear. Ink inscription to half title of volume I, and to first blank of volume V. Good . Ill.: Not Stated. Good .