Stanley Farrugia Randon’s love for his country and the desire to ensure that certain terminology relating to ancient agricultural activities is not lost have inspired him to write Il-Biedja f’Malta.

While the book is a history of agriculture in Malta and the effects it has on the Maltese landscape and environment, Il-Biedja f’Malta is also a practical guide on the sowing, cultivation and harvesting of local fruit, vegetables and herbs as well as on the diseases which can attack them.

The author is a medical doctor who grows products organically in his yard and has gathered a great deal of information from farmers particularly in Gozo.  He encourages people to grow products in their own garden, yard or on their roof especially in an organic manner.

The book is also a practical guide on the sowing, cultivation and harvesting of local produce

This can be a hobby of great satisfaction serving as a therapy for body and mind encouraging the amateur to love nature and closely observe the stages of development of the products and the greatness of the creator.

Farrugia Randon recommends both professional and amateur farmers to save irrigation water and abstain from much use of ground water whose salinity leads to an inferior product. Another problem which requires a solution is the fragmentation of the fields which are not economically viable.

Chapters of the book are dedicated to the cotton industry and to the olive tree, while the last chapter is a glossary of old terms old implements which have fallen in disuse.

The book is printed in full colour with over 400 photos. Selling price: €29.90c.

The book will be launched at Din l-Art Ħelwa in Valletta on Wednesday at 6.30pm. It will be on sale from bookshops from Thursday.

The author thanks APS Bank for their financial aid in the printing of the book.