8 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



direction gave, as this text shows on many pages, an unsurpassed oppor- 

 tiinity to study plants in the steps they have taken from first cultivation 

 to their present forms. 



Dr. Sturtevant's opportiinities for research in books during this director- 

 ship was hardly less remarkable. The Sturtevant Prelinnean Library, 

 now in the Missouri Botanical Garden, nimibers over 500 titles in several 

 languages. These, with most of the more modem texts on plants, gave 

 him sources of information then possessed by few other students of 

 plants, for many of the rarer books were inaccessible to Americans of Sturte- 

 vant's time. In this great library, the patience and erudition of Dr. Sturte- 

 vant became priceless. Here, he sought historical mention of edible plants; 

 travelers' descriptions of them; the names of the many esculents used by 

 various peoples; their geographical distributions; their various uses; culttiral 

 treatments ; the connections of food plants with great migrations of mankind 

 both in ancient and modem times. He studied selection as affected by the 

 likes and dislikes of various peoples, and gave partictilar attention to the 

 studies of archaeologists on the material remains of plants. 



In 1887, Dr. Sturtevant gave up his charge of the Station at Geneva 

 and returned to the old home at South Framingham. But the oppor- 

 tunity for experimental work on Waushakum Farm had passed. The city 

 had encroached upon the country, and where had been pastvires and farm 

 fields were now town lots and dwellings. The inclination for research 

 which throughout his life had animated Sturtevant, now took the turn, 

 more than ever, of research in books. Near the old home, into which he 

 moved with his family, he housed his library in a small building and set 

 to work. Always diligent with the pen, and his favorite subject the history 

 of plants, there is no question but that he now determined to put in per- 

 manent form the many articles he had printed here and there on the origin, 

 history and variations in cioltivated plants. His manuscripts, notes and 

 the articles in American Naturalist indicate such a determination. Had 

 not ill health and untimely death intervened, it is probable that Stttrtevant 

 would have put forth the volume which now, a quarter-century later, 

 comes from the hands of an editor. 



The idea of writing a history of food plants came to Dr. Sturtevant 

 long before his retirement from active professional work in fact must have 

 been in his mind from college days. His books were well under way and 

 much had been accomplished as early as 1880, for in April of that year he 

 wrote to the Country Gentleman asking its readers to give him information 



