Citricultura oft Regeringhe der Uythemsche Boomen, te weten Oranien, Citroenen, Limoenen, Granaten, Laurieren en andere. Waer in beschreven is de gedaente en de kennisse der Boomen, met hunne bloemen, bladeren en vruchtenn de STERBEECK, JOHANNES FRANCISCUS VAN - 1682

Antwerp: Joseph Jacobs, 1682. Contemporary calf. Very Good. 4to(20.0 x 16.3 cm). Contemporary full black calf. Some breaks along spine, cords and boards firmly attached. Some wear to corners and ends of spine. Collation: [40], 296, [18] pp. +14 copper engraved plates, folded. Plates and frontispiece were engraved by Francois Ertinger. The Frontispiece was a design prepared by C. E. Best. There is also a full page engraved coat of arms of dedicatee, Justus de Nobelaer. In typical Baroque effusiveness, the title page includes a synopsis of the contents. Included are: detailed descriptions of the exotic plants including their flowers, leaves and fruit; how to plant and care for the trees; citrus diseases and pests. The text and plates provide extensive discussion and illustration on the cultivation of exotic fruit trees. These include lemon, orange, passion fruit, lime trees, pomegranates, laurels and others. The beautiful engraved botanical plates are based on those done by botanist Giovanni Battista Ferrari and also engraved by Francois Ertinger. The plates contain fruit, flower and leaves of the plant. This is most useful for identifying cultivated or indigenous plant. An example being the copper engraving of the orange by Ertinger titled "aurantiae flores," or flowers of the orange, shows not just the flowers, but the leaves and fruit of the orange as well.

Ertinger was born in 1640 in Schwaben, Germany, but worked in Antwerp where in the 1670s. He was a master of the St. Lucas guild. Here he collaborated with the priest and botanist Franciscus van Sterbeeck on this book. The citrus illustrations are closely based on those by the Italian botanist Giovanni Battista Ferrari, whose 1646 Hesperides started the European citrus book trend.Franciscus van Sterbeeck (1631-1693), a Flemish priest of noble extraction, was born and died in Antwerp where he lived for the greater part of his life. During the eight years following his ordination in 1655, he suffered chronic illness and turned his attention to botany. (Hunt, 365; Nissen, BBI 1893; Pritzel, 8948)