Agricultural innovation in

the early Islamic world

The diffusion of crops and farming techniques,
700-1100

ANDREW M. WATSON
Professor of Economic History
University of Toronto

Cambridge University Press

Cambridge
London New York New Rochelle
Melbourne Sydney
Contents

List of figures page vu

List of maps viii
Acknowledgments ix
Foreword to the Paperback Edition xi
Supplementary Bibliography xiv
i Introduction

Part: One: The chronology of diffusion

2 Sorghum 9
3 Asiatic rice 15
4 Hard wheat , 20
5 Sugar cane
24
6 Old World cotton 3i
7 Sour orange, lemon, lime, shaddock 42
8 Banana, plantain 5i
9 Coconut palm 55
10 Watermelon 58
II Spinach 62
12 Artichoke 64
13 Colocasia 66
14 Eggplant 70
15 Mango tree 72
Part Two: The pathways of diffusion
16 The routes 77
Part Three: The mechanics of diffusion
17 The agents 87
18 A medium for diffusion 91
19 The pull of demand 99
20 Facilitating supply: irrigation 103
21 Facilitating supply: land tenure 112
22 Facilitating supply: gardens 117
vi Contents

Part Four: The new plants in the economy

23 An agricultural revolution? 123
24 Agriculture in its context 129
Part Five: Later centuries
25 Agriculture in retreat 139
Notes 149
Works cited 215
Index 255