The scarce casebound first issue

Greenhill, Michael & Dunbar, Evelyn [Illus.]~ A Book of Farmcraft

Longmans, Green and Co., London : 1942

The First UK printing published by Longmans, Green and Co., London in 1942. 4to., original illustrated green and white boards, priced 5s. net to the lower board; containing numerous black and white drawings and diagrams in line throughout by Dunbar; The BOOK is in Good ++ to Very Good condition, with both boards spotted, particularly the lower; spine cracked and beginning to split, with chips to ends and a little loss; lower board starting to come away, but holding at head; the spotting continuing internally, but minimally so, confined to the prelims, with the contents for the most part clean. The book is protected in a removable Mylar cover. The scarce first issue casebound edition. The second edition was also issued later the same year but was issued in a wraps format. A book issued by the publishers Longmans, Green and Co. during the middle part of the Second World War, which acts as both a written and illustrative guide for those 'left behind' to work on farms while men were fighting on the continent. The text has been provided by Michael Greenhill, an instructor in Agriculture at the Farm Institute in Sparsholt, who rectruited to the Women's Land Army at the same center near Winchester in Hampshire. The illuminating and clear illustrations and diagrams have been provided by Evelyn Dunbar, the artist, illustrator and teacher who is best remembered today for recording women's contributions to the War on the home front, and who used WLA recruits as her models in depicting the right way of undertaking some agricultural tasks, contrasted with the wrong way. "For as long as this war lasts, and very certainly during 1942, our farming industry will have to rely more and more on the work of novices", Street writes in his introduction, "and that is why I hope this book will sell in tens of thousands before the rush of next summer's work comes along. It was badly needed, it has come at the right moment, and I wish it every success, for I know that each copy in the hands of townsfolk will mean several extra tons of home-produced food upon their tables next winter. A very scarce work to find as a first printing ointment any condition.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Good ++