[Sca-cooks] Noty or Notye

[Chris Stanifer]

--- Johnna Holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu> wrote:

> So given these facts---What exactly leads you to believe that  they grew 
> Lemons
> in Britain in the middle ages? Do you think that Britain was
> all that tropical during the medieval period?


As smart-alecky as that comment was meant to be...

There are plenty of incidences of 'peculiar' or 'specialty' plants and such being grown in
ornamental and horticultural gardens in period, and I figured I might as well peep in on the Royal
Gardens and Orchards of the time, to see if I could hit any references to the lemon tree.  The
ships manifests are likely going to be more fruitful (pun intended), but there is really no harm
in looking at more than one source for the information.  I don't think I really implied that there
were massive groves of lemon trees dotting the British landscape.

As for the climate of Britain during the middle ages, there is ample evidence to suggest that
Britain, and in fact all of Europe, was a tad bit warmer than it is today.  Peek at a few of the
climatological studies on the internet or in the library.  Tropical?? No.  But then, lemons grow
quite well in temperate climates, as well (as do the vast majority of citrus fruits.)

William de Grandfort




=====
Through teeth of sharks, the Autumn barks.....and Winter squarely bites me.


		
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