Commercial Botany of the Nineteenth Century

First published in 1890, this succinct survey by botanist John Reader Jackson (1837–1920) explores the commercial use of plants cultivated both domestically and in Britain's colonies abroad. Enhancing his concise descriptions with illustrations, Jackson covers a range of plants used in food, drink, medicine, and the building trade.

The nineteenth century witnessed great advances in technology which made transporting natural resources overseas significantly easier. At the centre of a global empire, Britain felt the full economic benefits of introducing and cultivating a range of commercial plants both domestically and in her colonies abroad. First published in 1890, this succinct work by the English botanist John Reader Jackson (1837–1920) surveys these plants. The concise descriptions are enhanced by instructive drawings of significant species. The introduction also contains a chronological table of the century's most important developments in commercial botany. This is followed by chapters organised according to the applications of plants, notably in food, drink, medicine, and the building trade. Jackson points out the species which revolutionised these industries, identifying those at the heart of rapidly growing markets. The coverage includes many commodities which remain commercially significant, such as palm oil, sugar cane, and cotton.