Special Collections has a strong concentration of rare books in botany, natural history, zoology, and entomology. There are published writings of many great herbalists of the sixteenth century such as Brunfels, Bock, and Fuchs, as well as renowned works on flowers and fruits from both the 18th and 19th centuries. A treasure of Special Collections is 164 volumes of Curtis's Botanical Magazine begun in 1787 by William Curtis.
Other unique items include primary source literature documenting agricultural observations, experimentations, and practices in America, England, and Western Continental Europe. In addition to important travel accounts by early naturalists, there is an extensive collection of pre-Linneana imprints relating to the description of plants as well as a strong collection of original works by the eminent botanist Carl Linnaeus. Special Collections is proud to own a set of two volumes of Mark Catesby's The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, the first major study of New World botanical and animal life. Also, Titian Ramsey Peale's Drawings of American Insects in 1796 has proven priceless to entomologists.
Here is a selection of titles and corresponding images from the Rare Book Collection. For additional information on any of the following images, please contact Special Collections.
 A Curious Herbal Les Roses Pomona: Being A Selection
of Choice Fruit
Pomona italiana Pomona Londinensis The Botanical Magazine |
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The National Agricultural Library Special Collections 10301 Baltimore Avenue Beltsville, MD 20705 301-504-5876 speccoll@nal.usda.gov November 12, 2001 |