An Test was Re: SC - Truck Crops

[CBlackwill at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/5/00 8:47:34 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
TerryD at Health.State.OK.US writes:

> 
>  > Spinich  ---  Persia (middle ages: espinoche)
>  
>  Spinacea oleracea probably originates in southwest Asia and is known to 
have
>  been brought to Sicily by the Moors around 827. 

I was under the assumption that the Moors originated (or at least spread out 
from) the African continent.  Yes...No?


>  >  Cucumbers -  The foothills of the Himalayas  (cultivated in India for
>  more 
>  than 300 years, it was introduced to Egypt by the Hebrews)
>  
>  Cucumis sativa (the sativa suggests the Indian origin may be correct).
>  IIRC, cucumber seeds have been found in a number of Neolithic sites across
>  the Middle East, which makes the Hebrews introducing them to Egypt suspect
>  and your 300 years at least 3000.

What's a couple of zero's amongst friends, huh?



>  >  Okra --- Africa or Asia, introduced into the Americas by slaves.
>  
>  Abelmoschus esculentus of tropical Asian origin.  I haven't found anything
>  on when it was introduced to Africa, but a good bet would be around 300 BCE
>  with the Indonesian migration to Madagascar.  Another possibility is via 
the
>  Arab slave trade into central Africa.

I had mentioned Africa as a possibility due to the (alledged) popularity of 
okra on the continent.  Having never been there, personally, I can only trust 
what I have read...

>  >  Green Beans ---  France, I believe, for the "string" or "french" bean, 
>  though Haricot Beans were introduced into France from North America in the 
>  14th century (presented to Catherine de Medici as a gift from Pope Clement 
>  the Seventh).  "
>  
>  Try 16th Century, Catherine's marriage was in 1533.  This tale of
>  introduction is apochryphal.

Why do you say it is apocryphal?  I have seen two (admittedly modern and 
undocumented) references to this introduction (even though my date is 
wrong....when the age is in, the wit is out, I guess).  Do you mean there is 
no documentation to support this?  Or do you have documentation to the 
contrary?


>  >  Pole Beans  ---  I'm not sure, perhaps these have another name?
>  
>  Generic name for climbing members of Phaseolus.  Poles are set with each
>  plant to allow it to climb properly.

Ah...I knew there was a blatantly obvious reason for this name...


>  >  Sweet Potato --- South America or Africa
>  
>  Ipomea batatas found in the American tropics and in part of Polynesia
>  (believed to have been imported by trade with the Americas).  Commonly
>  called a yam, but it's not.
>  
>  Yams are of African origin.

Hence the reference for both America and Africa.  You never know which one is 
meant from one person to the next.


>  >  Squash --- This depends on which type of squash you are referring to...
>  
>  Well, maybe, there is some very technical argument about some members of 
the
>  genus Cucurbita having come from Asia, but for practical purposes the
>  Cucurbita are all of New World origin.  There are no Cucurbitas known to be
>  in Europe before 1492.

I wasn't sureif he was refering to squash as in zuchinni, or squash as in 
gourds.  Gourds, I believe, were used in Roman times.



>  >  Egg Plant  --- India, cultivated in Italy by the late 15th
>  
>  Solanum melongena is of southeast Asian origin.  The variant esculenta,
>  which has the purple fruit is an Indian hybrid.  Eggplant was adopted by 
the
>  Arabs after they conquered northern India and was imported into the Moorish
>  regions of Europe.

As is common, I assumed he was referring to the purple eggplant, since the 
white is difficuylt to find in some areas.

Balthazar of Blackmoor

Words are Trains for moving past what really has no Name.