When half grown, the citron (or pear, apple, pomegranate) was encased in a mould of gypsum or clay to form it into the shape of a bird, face or animal. Now there are plastic boxes to make square watermelons and other creatively shaped fruits and vegetables.From Agricultural Pursuits. London: 1806 -
TO MAKE THE CITRON BEAR THE REPRESENTATION OF ANY BIRD, OR TO IMITATE THE FACE OF A MAN, OR OF SOME OTHER ANIMAL.
Making the mould -
"You will make the fruit already mentioned represent the form
of the face of a man, or of some other animal, in this manner: having covered
it [object to be copied] with gypsum or with clay, and having left it to be dried; and having made it
into two parts, the one anterior, the other posterior, so that they may fit
when they are dried; burn them [in a kiln] as you do earthen ware."
Fruit put in mould when half grown -
"When the fruit comes to half its growth, set on the moulds, and secure them by carefully tying them, that they may not be parted by the growth of the fruit, whether it is a pear, or an apple, or a pomegranate, or a citron, and it will receive the form; and in short, fruit assumes the resemblance of animals, if, a person lays it in carved moulds, and suffers it to grow."
Fruit put in mould when half grown -
"When the fruit comes to half its growth, set on the moulds, and secure them by carefully tying them, that they may not be parted by the growth of the fruit, whether it is a pear, or an apple, or a pomegranate, or a citron, and it will receive the form; and in short, fruit assumes the resemblance of animals, if, a person lays it in carved moulds, and suffers it to grow."
Agricultural pursuits. Translated from the Greek by Rev. T. Owen. v2 London: 1806
A Description and History of Vegetable Substances. London: 1829 image
©2016 Patricia Bixler Reber
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