Wer das Gras wachsen hört

In the early modern period, a technical-economic perspective on nature developed. Since the late 17th century, natural historical descriptions began to connect with cameralistic ideas. Subsequently, the movement of economic enlightenment intensified the utility-oriented approach to nature and made it a subject of public debate. This specific culture of innovation was crucial for the far-reaching reorganization of agricultural knowledge in the 19th and 20th centuries. Each contribution focuses on a different group of plants - vegetables, fruits, tobacco, fodder, medicinal, or textile plants. The emphasis is on questions regarding the interaction between various actors such as farmers, scholars, landowners, magistrates, or parish priests. There is particular interest in the relationship between the different practical and administrative aspects.