Fruit: an Illustrated History.Fruit: An Illustrated History. PETER BLACKBURNE-MAZE THE ROSE: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY PETER HARKNESS These stunning, oversize o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. Adj. 1. books tell the history of fruit and roses by defining the origins of many varieties, detailing how they have been dispersed around the world, and describing the cultural significance of each variety. Chapters in both books profile individual varieties in an inviting, conversational style. Color illustrations from the archives of the Royal Horticultural Society A horticultural society is an organization devoted to the study and culture of cultivated plants. Such organizations may be local, regional, national, or international. Some have a more general focus, whereas others are devoted to a particular kind or group of plants. are featured on every two-page spread. Fruit is divided into four major groups--pome(apple and medlar medlar (mĕd`lər), small deciduous tree (Mespilus germanica) of the family Rosaceae (rose family), native to Europe and Asia. It has luxuriant foliage and large white or pinkish flowers; in the wild state it is sometimes thorny. ), stone (plum and apricot), berry (currant currant, northern shrub of the family Saxifragaceae (saxifrage family), of the same genus (Ribes) as the gooseberry bush. The tart berries of the currant may be black, white, or red; the white gooseberry becomes purple when mature. and blueberry blueberry, plant of the large genus Vaccinium, widely distributed shrubs (occasionally small trees) of the family Ericaceae (heath family), usually found on acid soil. They are often confused with the related huckleberry. ), and exotic (avocado and lychee), Among the interesting facts conveyed is that pomegranate juice stain is almost impossible to remove and that the fig isn't a fruit, but an inside-out flower. Roses charts the 5,000-year-old history of the flower from its wild origins in China to today, when there are more than 20,000 hybrids. This tome flower follows the rose's travels to Iraq, where 4,000-year-old Sumerian tablets refer to the flower. Eventually, Harkness gets to France, where roses were marketed for cosmetic and medical purposes. Looking to the future, he proposes that roses will be bred without thorns, repellent to aphids, and more fragrant than ever. Both books were originally published in the United Kingdom. Firefly, 2003, 335 p./336 p., color illustrations, hardcover, $60.00 each. |
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