Spices

In the introduction to Spices, Henry N. Ridley claims that “The history of the cultivation and use of spices is perhaps the most romantic story of any vegetable product.” His passion for the subject is one of many examples of Ridley’s overlapping interest in botany and economics. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular flavoring, often a single spice, including flavors from Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Ginger to Zedoary, Galangal, and Calamus Root. While this title predates Ridley’s most famous botanical contributions, The Flora of the Malay Peninsula (1922) and The Dispersal of Plants Throughout the World (1930), it was here that Ridley’s unique blend of commercial history and cultivation advice helped to fill a gap in tropical agriculture literature, while also providing vital context to the industry. Ridley himself would go on to be a major figure in the creation of the rubber industry on the Malay Peninsula.