Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention: A Gardener's Guide

I found this title in a used bookstore and purchased it immediately because of its chapter on the Black Mulberry, a mysterious fruiting tree growing in my backyard. I soon discovered that it had a chapter on the Asian Pear, another tree I had on my property. The book continued to fascinate me and soon I was looking for the current, elderberry, persimmon, strawberry, and wild blueberry species for my garden. So many of us urban dwellers garden, but fewer and fewer of us remember our society's original purpose in doing so: to enjoy the pleasures of eating. Most of the species are available from Raintree Nursery in Morton, WA.

This book is, first of all, a wonderful read. It is full of historical notes, very interesting to this nonbotonist, and is fully researched. Advances have been made since it was written, and perhaps some of the suppliers given in the back are no longer with us; but a good web search will remedy that. It describes the flavors, scents, and appearence of the fruits in succulent detail. Since I have read it, I have been buying and trying to get friends to buy the various fruits listed. It is torture not being able to go out and buy jujubes, gumis, hardy kiwi, pawpaws, and all the rest of the children of Pomona that are here delineated. A wonderful book, full of charming oddities and wit.