The first Gardener's Manual was published by the Society in 1836 and sold 16,000 copies. This more comprehensive manual was published in 1843 and expanded to include not only directions for growing but also instructions for cooking and preserving numerous vegetables. The manual was intended for those who had to tend their own gardens and operate a farm or business besides, and not for lords and nobles "who can afford a tenant to every acre."

Facsimile Edition. Reprinted from the library at Hancock Shaker Village, Hancock, MA. Introduction copyright Amy Bess Miller, 1991.