Vegetable Chart | The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

Windsor Beans

Windsor Bean_Illustration — *Hortus Romanus juxta systems Tournefortianum paulo*, 8 vols. (Rome, 1772-93), vol. 7, pl. 24.

Turnips

turnip_illustration — *Hortus Romanus juxta systems Tournefortianum paulo*, 8 vols. (Rome, 1772-93), vol. 4, pl. 39.

Watermelon

Tomatoes

tomato illustration — *Herbarium Blackwellianum emendatum et auctum, id est, Elisabethae Blackwell collectio stirpium*, 6 vols. (Nürnberg, 1750-73), pl. 133.

Strawberries

strawberry_illustration — *Pomona Britannica: or, A Collection of the Most Esteemed Fruits … with the Blossoms and Leaves* (London, 1801).

Squashes

squash_illustration — *Hortus Romanus juxta systems Tournefortianum paulo*, 8 vols. (Rome, 1772-93), vol. 1, pl. 68

“…the seeds which I sent you were of the Cymling (cucurbita vernucosa) & Squash (cucurbita melo-pepo) the latter grows with erect stems; the former trails on the ground altogether. the Squash is the best tasted.” –Jefferson to Philip Mazzei, 17 March 1801.

Click here to learn more about squash as it appears in Jefferson’s weather records.

Spinach

Snaps

Salsafia

salsify_illustration — John Curtis, *British Entomology: Being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects Found in Great Britain and Ireland: … and in Many Instances of the Plants upon Which They Are Found*, 16 vols. (London, 1823-40), vol. 3, pl. 433.

Raspberries

raspberry_illustration — *Traité des arbres et arbustes que l’on cultive en France en pleine terre*, 7 vols. (Paris, 1801-19), vol. 6, no. 23.

Radishes

radish_illustration — *Hortus Romanus juxta systems Tournefortianum paulo*, 8 vols. (Rome, 1772-93), vol. 4, pl. 42.

Peas

pea_illustration — *Hortus Romanus juxta systems Tournefortianum paulo*, 8 vols. (Rome, 1772-93), vol. 7, pl. 18.

“I put away this disgusting dish of old fragments, and talk to you of my peas and clover.” –Jefferson to George Washington, 19 June 1796.

Click here to learn more about peas as they appear in Jefferson’s weather records.

Parsley

Melons

melon_illustration — *A Curious Herbal: Containing Five Hundred Cuts, of the Most Useful Plants, Which Are Now Used in the Practice of Physick.* Engraved … by Elizabeth Blackwell, 2 vols. (London, 1751), vol. 2, pl. 329.

Grapes

grape_illustration — *Pomona Italiana: Trattato degli alberi fruttiferi conteneate la Descrizione delle megliori varietáa dei Frutte coltivati in Italia, accompagnato da Figure disegnate, e colorite sul vero*, 5 vols. (Pisa, 1817-39), vol. 2, pl. 54.

Eggplant

Cucumbers

cucumber_illustration — *Hortus Romanus juxta systems Tournefortianum paulo*, 8 vols. (Rome, 1772-93), vol. 1, pl. 63.

Corn

“I cultivate in my own garden here Indian corn for the use of my own table, to eat green in our manner. But the species I am able to get here for seed, is hard, with a thick skin, and dry. I had at Monticello a species of small white rare ripe corn which we called Homony-corn, and of which we used to make about 20. barrels a year for table use, green, in homony, and in bread. Great George will know well what kind I mean.” –Jefferson to Nicholas Lewis, 17 September 1787.

Click here to learn more about corn as it appears in Jefferson’s weather records.

Cauliflower

Carrots

carrot_illustration — Johann Simon Kerner, ed., *Abbildung aller ökonomischen Pflanzen* [Illustration of All Economic Plants], 8 vols. (Stuttgart, 1791), vol. 4, pl. 319.

Cabbage

Beets

beet_illustration — *A Curious Herbal: Containing Five Hundred Cuts, of the Most Useful Plants, Which Are Now Used in the Practice of Physick*. Engraved … by Elizabeth Blackwell, 2 vols. (London, 1751), vol. 1, pl. 235

Asparagus

“A small Parcell of Coopers Pale green Asparagus Seed, which has long commanded the Philadelphia market—The head is large in proportion to its stem & very tender. the whole of this Seed is gathered from one beautiful Stalk in my garden” –Timothy Matlack to Jefferson, 25 February 1807.

Click here to learn more about asparagus as it appears in Jefferson’s weather records.