''Calendario del castagnajo'' (English: Chestnut grower's calendar) is a book by Florentine writer

Marco Lastri Marco Lastri (6 March 1731 – 24 December 1811) was an eclectic and polymath writer, active in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. Biography Born to in the quartiere of Santa Croce, Florence, to a family of limited means, his education led tow ...

, published in 1793. The full title of the text is: '. (English: "Calendar of the chestnut grower, in which the monthly growth of the chestnut tree is described Written by Lastri, the book talks about how to grow the plant, which feeds the people of the countryside (though it has been neglected in Italy). It also talks about rules for grinding chestnuts, and methods to preserve the flour".)

Summary

Castagnajo's calendar is made up of 13 volumes. These books offer a complete course on the cultivation of

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. The unrelat ...

trees in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. The introduction provides an overview of the importance of chestnut

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

and its role helping people to survive. The subsequent 12 books represent the twelve months of the year. In summary, the 13 volumes teach readers the methods of growing and harvesting a chestnut orchard by instructing which months are best for grafting, pruning and irrigation. It includes information on chestnut-derived products: ink, flour, tables, baskets, coal and fodder.

Editions

* First edition: Lastri M., 1793. ''.'' In Venezia: nella stamperia Graziosi a S. Apollinare (Con Pubblica Approvazione). * Second edition: Lastri M., 1805. ''.'' (Nuova edizione accresciuta). In Venezia: nella stamperia Graziosi a S. Apollinare.

References

{{Reflist Italian books