Edward Bartrum

Edward Bartrum, an English clergyman and horticultural writer, translated an experienced fruit grower's observations into practical guidance. The Book Of Pears And Plums appeared in London through John Lane in 1903 as volume eleven of the Handbooks of Practical Gardening. Its complete title adds With Chapters on Cherries and Mulberries, signaling a wider range than the shortened form suggests. Bartrum discusses soil, climate, propagation, planting, pruning, pests, harvesting, storage, and varieties, combining instructions with historical notes and personal judgment. Project Gutenberg identifies him as a Doctor of Divinity and Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society, while the Biodiversity Heritage Library records his life dates as 1833 to 1905. Harry Roberts edited the handbook. The Book Of Pears And Plums is written for gardeners who need decisions they can apply, yet it also captures the vocabulary and priorities of British fruit culture in the early twentieth century. Its attention to named cultivars makes the book useful as a historical record as well as a period manual.