Excerpt from Stokes Seeds, 1921

Further evidence is at hand toshow that at least a number Of our commoner vegetables were well known before the Aryan Migration, Eighteenth Century B. C. Melons, onions and garlic are mentioned by Moses 1400 B. C.

Historic realities of the past twenty-five centuries, beginning with Hellenic Culture, give us our first accurate knowledge on the subject. The Greek and especially the Roman Civilization, advanced-the art of horticulture far he yond all past effort of man. With the conquering of new lands, the. Culture of edible plants was passed on to new tribes and races, they in turn very often exchanging species entirely unknown to the Mediterranean World. Roman armies were responsible for the dissemination of many of the vegetables of Asia, Southern Europe and Africa. 'the fall of Rome retarded vegetable culture seriously, but it is not thought that many of the old species were lost. The work was carried on without marked development until the discovery of the New World, which brought with it several new and valuable additions in vegetables, which Were quickly adapted by Europeans, who in turn started varietal improvements which greatly increased their desirability for edible purposes. The work of the French and English in the past three hundred years probably surpasses the efforts of the previous fifteen hundred. Present-day varieties, with slight exceptions, are all type developments of the past three centuries. This work has largely been accomplished by scientists, gardeners and commercial seed growers. American horticulturists have made considerable progress during the past hundred years in the development of new, and in many instances, very worthy varietal introductions.

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