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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 Studying the history of gardening devices Gardening devices such as hoses and wheelbarrows have been around so long that we hardly think of them as having been innovations once. But George Drower hasn’t forgotten. Drower, a writer and historian who specializes in garden history, has gathered stories of many gardening gadgets in “Garden of Invention: The Stories of Garden Inventors & Their Innovations.” The book covers the origins of garden staples such as the gutta percha rubber hose, the sprinkler and the mail-order garden catalog, as well as some curious inventions, including an early tree mover and the Flymo, a hovering lawn mower. It also covers the contributions of innovators such as Carl Linnaeus, who developed the plant classification system still used today, and George Washington Carver, whose invention of hundreds of peanut products created a market for peanut farmers. There are surprises in the book, too, such as Christopher Columbus’ introduction of the wigwam frame for climbing plants and Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses III’s popularization of flowerpots. “Garden of Invention” is published by Lyons Press and is priced at $18.95. Mixer mixes money for cure A kitchen classic is looking pretty in pink as it raises money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The KitchenAid Model A-9 Coffee Mill, designed by noted industrial designer Egmont Arens and introduced in 1938, is now available in the foundation’s signature color. The grinder was relaunched earlier this year in a variety of colors and is identical to the original appliance, not a retro-style redesign. The mill grinds coffee beans a few at a time and uses a gentle, low-friction grinding method to avoid subjecting the beans to high heat, which can affect the flavor. The pink version is expected to be available in late September at www.cookforthecure.com and select stores, including J.C. Penney and Williams-Sonoma. The suggested retail price is $129.99. KitchenAid will donate $10 to the Komen foundation for each one sold. — Wire Services
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