A BRIEF HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE :
The deliberate use of plants by humans for aesthetic and functional purposes has its
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wonders of the ancient world. As society evolved, deliberate cultivation and domes
tication of edible plants replaced the less efficient food-gathering habits of primi
tive societies. Agriculture, and for that matter horticulture, is therefore not a
modern-day invention but one that continues to be transformed as society advances
technologically.
In terms of food production, ancient civilizations, notably that of Egypt, pioneered
the basic crop production methods still in use today with modification and modernization.
Land was set aside and prepared by plowing; crops were provided with supplemental irri
gation for increased productivity in cultivation; crops received appropriate plant hus
bandry for the best results. Postharvest storage and processing (e.g., drying, fermenting,
and milling) were employed to increase the shelf life of the otherwise highly perishable
horticultural products. Most of the valued ancient crops are still of interest today. They in
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clude fruits (e.g., dates, figs, grapes, pomegranates, and olives), vegetables (e.g., garlic,
melons, radishes, lentils, artichokes, and chicory), oil and fiber crops, and medicinal herbs.
For aesthetic uses, gardeners were employed to manicure the formal gardens of ancient
royalty.As already mentioned, the gardens and landscape designs of the Babylonians were
proverbial.
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