Heirloom Fruit & Vegetables by Musgrave & Perry

50 in stock

287mm x 289mm x 27mm

Pages: 224

A celebration of the beauty and rich history of heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables have been a central part of our diets since time immemorial, and the history of their cultivation is rich with intriguing facts: Samuel PepysGÇÖs diary entry for August 22, 1663, reveals that GǣMr Newburne is dead of eating CowcoumbersGǥ (cucumbers); many tomato varieties were first bred in the United States and are still available, fromGǣStriped GermanGǥ to GǣPink Ping PongGǥ to GǣZapotec.Gǥ
Today, numerous traditional fruit and vegetable varietiesGÇòthe so-called heirloom or heritage varietiesGÇò-are disappearing, a catastrophic loss of horticultural heritage and genetic diversity. But gardeners have reason to be optimistic. A group of dedicated growers around the world is seeking to conserve surviving heritage varieties for their significant advantages over newer cultivars: they are more adaptable, they have good storage properties, and they often have a superior taste.
Presented by season, this overview first tells the story of the cultivation of fruits and vegetables through the ages, and then each type is discussed: where it originated, indigenous uses and folklore, how it got its name, legends and beliefs that have become attached to it, and the odd uses to which it has been put. 160 color