Popular Economic Botany: Or Description of the Botanical and Commercial Characters of the Principal Articles of Vegetable Origin, Used for Food, Clothing, Tanning, Dyeing, Building, Medicine, Perfumer

Explore the botanical and commercial world of everyday plants

This comprehensive reference reveals the botanical characters and practical uses of the main vegetable products used for food, textiles, tanning, dyeing, medicine, perfumery, and more.

Rich in historical context, it traces how crops like cotton and wheat traveled across continents and shaped trade, industry, and culture.

Organized into clear divisions—from foods and starches to textiles, dyes, gums, oils, and medicinal materials—the book combines practical descriptions with industry insights. It also features plates illustrating key plants and a detailed index to aid quick lookup.

• Plain explanations of farmers’ staples and commercial crops
• Historical notes on cultivation, trade routes, and global diffusion
• Descriptions of how plants are used in different crafts and industries
• A catalogued listing of plates and a comprehensive index for researchers and collectors

Ideal for readers of economic botany, natural history, and the history of global trade seeking a grounded overview of plant-based materials and their multifaceted uses.