Richard
Surflet was a doctor who translated what has been
termed "the most popular of the early gardening books
translated into our language" (Rohde, 1924).
The title is as follows: Maison Rustique or
The Countrey Farme: Compiled in the French
tongue by Charles Stevens and John Liebault, Doctors
of Physicke, and translated into English by Richard
Surflet, Practitioner in Physicke, 1600.
This was the most important of the early French
books dealing with agricultural subjects and
gardening. It was so popular that it "went through" 30
editions.
