W. R. Mead (1915–2014)

Having read - and been mildly interested (in parts) by Kalm's botanical visit to London...I felt a sort of grim determination to read of his three weeks spent in my part of the world. Here, Kalm (disciple of Linnaues and enthusiast of all things agricultural) arrives in Little Gaddesden (Herts) where lives the noted writer on farming, William Ellis.
Kalm's meetings with Ellis (and conversations with other farmers) give us a sneaking sense (never overtly stated) that Ellis was something of a fraud; his fields often worse than those of his neighbours, and his much-vaunted plough designs all pie in the sky. Though Ellis comments that "since Adam was created, no implement had been invented so useful as this."
Kalm notes all aspects of life: the numerous things that Sweden could benefit from - and those that the Brits could adopt (he notes how despite the mild weather, the English- having never incorporated the damper into fireplace design- burn more fuel than do Swedes: nonetheless "in winter it is as cold inside as it is outside."
He notes all things of interest: plagues of snails, doing "so much damage that people looked upon them in much the same way that those in the E look upon locusts." (and the discovery by one man that they make a splendid food for pigs.) ; the killing of moles, with traps greased with worm oil.
While in Herts he visits the home of the Duke of Bridgewater (Ashridge) and nearby Ivinghoe. He observes the locals, concluding that women have it easy when compared to his countrywomen: "never to be seen here concerning themselves in the slightest with outdoor activities such as working in the fields...they are fortunate in having shifted the greater part of the burden of managing the farm onto the men."
As Kalm continues: "women never get sore fingers from too much needlework or a pain in the back from weaving. It is the manufacturers who are concerned with these things and the men's purses that are robbed accordingly" he consequently avows that "It is therefore no more than deserving that the men should seek a little consolation" (though he feels they spend too long idling at the inn.)

Still, this IS (EMPHATICALLY) predominantly a work on farming, geology, geography etc. There are not quite the detailed studies of plant life and foddering livestock that appeared in his London book. There is however a LOT more on the chalk and flint; detailed descriptions over pages of laying a hedge, building a haystack; the construction of a plough...
Glad I read it., and feel an affection for the author. But as one with no knowledge or particular interest in his favourite topics, was glad to reach the end...… (mais)

I first came across this work when reading another book by WR Mead on Aylesbury.
As an Aylesburian geography professor, Mead had an abiding interest in Finland. Thus Pehr Kalm, a disciple of Linnaues and Celsius, a man with an endlessly enquiring mind, particularly into things botanical, came to his notice.
Kalm spent five months in England while waiting to embark on a botanical mission to N America. Books on England by foreign visitors can be very entertaining to Brit readers (eg C Moritz "Journeys of a German in England, 1782.)
I found BITS of this interesting: Kalm opines on Vauxhall pleasure gardens, dusty roads (and the measures used to remedy this), a Quaker service and fashion (corsets are the norm...though less so among the oldsters, a large number of whom "were every bit as fat as any of our well-covered women in Sweden.")
Kalm is often struck with things that seem mundane to us- walls with broken glass on top to deter thieves; a gardener who had made a little fence out of horseshoes ("the same as those which the boys use in Ostrobthnia to make the so-called skates.")
And he is introduced to various scientific gentleman (notably Sir Hans Sloan) and relays intriguing facts and artefacts seen.
But Kalm's main love is botany; he's never happier than when prowling through a meadow, listing the Latin names of the (many) grasses found there and (repeatedly) spending hours observing various forms of livestock, listing those plants they will eat and those they avoid. All of which is undoubtedly important and useful, but which cause the average reader's eyes to glaze over.
So...mildly interesting, but do skip the long Latin lists!… (mais)

An interesting little book for those of us with ties to the town. The author was born in Buckingham St, in what is now (had to google it) the Bamboo Chinese restaurant! His father ran a grocery store - taking over from the Boughton family, one of whom (Rutland Boughton- more googling) was actually a famous composer! So much has altered in the past hundred years that it can be hard to envisage the long-demolished streets and buildings. Other bits make the longterm inhabitant shout "I remember that!" - the old shops and businesses, the buildings still standing, whose history you never suspected. This isn't quite one of those literary memoirs that tug at heartstrings of every reader- if you don't know Aylesbury, you would't get a tremendous amount from it. Also the author rather overdoes the device of bringing his youthful self into the narrative by frequent rhetorical childish questions: thus a reference to the 'Saracen's Head' pub is followed immediately by ("What was a Saracen and what happened to his head?") And many many more.... However as a totall Aylesburian, I really liked it and will wander down the concrete wasteland of Buckingham St musing on the days when it "rejoiced in a number of lime trees which gave off a strong scent....cattle and sheep bound for market....maidservants, 'the Bonnet box' ....ah, happy days!… (mais)

Although the modern portion of this book is becoming dated, this is still a good book to read to become acquainted with the Aland Islands which are technically part of Finland but are autonomous. The Islanders speak Swedish for the most part and have ties to both Sweden and Finland. The book gives an overview of the country's geography, geology, climate, plant and animal life, and much more. It also chronicles what has become known as "the Aland question" in political circles. The book is very readable and reminds me of books in "The Land and People" series which was geared towards middle schoolers (and perhaps upper elementary schoolers), although this book was clearly written with an adult audience in mind.… (mais)