Apples and Orchards since the Eighteenth Century: Material Innovation and Cultural Tradition

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Joanna Crosby (University of East Anglia, UK) Peter Scholliers (Vrije Universiteit Brussel Belgium)

Apples and Orchards since the Eighteenth Century

Material Innovation and Cultural Tradition

Joanna Crosby (University of East Anglia, UK), Peter Scholliers (Vrije Universiteit Brussel Belgium), Amy Bentley

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English

Bloomsbury Academic
26 June 2025

Social & cultural history; Food & society; Economic history

Series: Food in Modern History: Traditions and Innovations

Showing how the history of the apple goes far beyond the orchard and into the social, cultural and technological developments of Britain and the USA, this book takes an interdisciplinary approach to reveal the importance of the apple as a symbol of both tradition and innovation.

From the 18th century in Britain, technology innovation in fruit production and orchard management resulted in new varieties of apples being cultivated and consumed, while the orchard became a representation of stability. In America orchards were contested spaces, as planting seedling apple trees allowed settlers to lay a claim to land. In this book Joanna Crosby explores how apples and orchards have reflected the social, economic and cultural landscape of their times. From the association between English apples and ‘English’ virtues of plain speaking, hard work and resultant high-quality produce, to practices of wassailing highlighting the effects of urbanisation and the decline of country ways and customs, Apples and Orchards from the Eighteenth Century shows how this everyday fruit provides rich insights into a time of significant social change.

By: Joanna Crosby (University of East Anglia UK)
Edited by: Peter Scholliers (Vrije Universiteit Brussel Belgium), Amy Bentley
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781350378513
ISBN 10: 1350378518
Series: Food in Modern History: Traditions and Innovations
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 26 June 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction Part I: Growth 1. Eighteenth-century Developments of the Orchard Landscape 2. The Nineteenth Century as a Place of Change 3. The Scientific Apple: Pests, Diseases and Innovative Fruit Management 4. Shifts in the Orchard Landscape in the Twentieth Century Part II: Consumption 5. From the Orchard to the Kitchen: Urban Apple Supply and Consumption 6. The Free Trade and ‘Foreign’ Apple 7. The Apple in Kitchen Culture in the UK and the USA Part III: Cultural Engagement 8. The Progressive Apple 9. The Community Apple Conclusion

Joanna Crosby is an Honorary Fellow in History at the University of East Anglia, UK. She is an expert in the social and cultural history of the apple and orchards, and is a Director and Treasurer for the East of England Apples and Orchards Project.

Reviews for Apples and Orchards since the Eighteenth Century: Material Innovation and Cultural Tradition

This is a fascinating work that encompasses a great swathe of orchard history … I highly recommend Apples and Orchards Since the 18th Century to anyone who is interested in the story of orchards and fruit growing, or the significance of the apple as a cultural symbol and artistic icon. -- Darren Turpin * Orchard Notes * [An] interesting and important contribution to the knowledge of the history of apples -- The Blackberry Garden * Alison Levey * Crosby makes a strong case that apples are deserving of study, and this book will be of interest to scholars in a variety of fields, particularly those relating to food, social, and cultural history. * H-Net Reviews * A skilfully crafted book… Connections and interconnections are made and comprehensively substantiated in a text that is always engaging and readable. This book will be a revelation to any reader whose interest in the humble apple extends beyond the fruit bowl. * Agricultural History Review *