An Illustrated Catalog of American Fruits & Nuts: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection

Covering everything from the navel orange, Delicious apple, Bartlett pear, and Meyer lemon, to the baobab, loquat, and pekea nut, this volume presents select paintings from the Pomological Watercolor Collection of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with a charming assortment of new texts about fruits and nuts. The introduction by Adam Leith Gollner (Working in the Bathtub) explains that between 1886 and 1942, the Division of Pomology commissioned these paintings because “healthy orchards and fruit groves were viewed as crucial to national prosperity.” The images show the entire fruit or nut—exterior, interior, leaves, and stem—and illustrate the effects of drought, overwatering, and disease. For each class of fruit, Vitaglione (Solastalgia) and other contributors (Jacqueline Landey, John McPhee, and Michael Pollan) discuss its history; origins; scientific names; and appearance in literature, advertising, mythology, and art. The book features about 300 signed and dated paintings by 21 artists (nine of whom are women), out of the 7,584 objects in the Pomological Watercolor Collection. The illustrations are stunning and the information fascinating—readers will wish the book covered the entire pomological collection. The volume’s organization makes it incredibly approachable, with cross-references throughout the text and a glossary and bibliography that add value.