Evolution of seeds in Russia from Peter I to our days

It's hard to imagine but there were times in Russia when people knew nothing about seeds. After all, once they are simply not there. At all. And now the Russian Federation is the world leader in the production of sunflower.

Let's see, how did the sunflower seeds on the Russian open spaces, as developed an uneasy relationship with popular people today treat.

The first coming of sunflower seeds on the Russian land

Sunflower seeds, among other curiosities came to us at the behest of Peter I, who, as we know, was eager to different things. Seeds brought from the Netherlands in 1698. First, culture was considered decorative and are grown in flower beds next to the potatoes and tomatoes. Large baskets of blossoms, adorned the gardens and the gardens as a noble mansions and farmsteads.

It is not known who first came up with click pips. But history has preserved the date of the first scrap of sunflower oil. The peasant Bokarev, who lived in the village of Alekseyevka of the Voronezh province, be smart and built a press. He pressed on the homemade device, the first sunflower oil. The product is appreciated not only in taste. Its production was much more profitable than hemp or flax oil.

Four years later, in the same village built the first mill, which grew into a plant. By the way, the first oil-mill still works and produces a popular brand of sunflower oil "Sloboda". Sunflower quickly "retrained" from ornamental crops in agricultural zapolleoniv arable land in the Voronezh and Saratov provinces. During the reign of Nicholas I, the share of sunflower in crop rotation amounted to 40%.

Flipping sunflower seeds in tsarist times

In tsarist Russia the citizens for a long time was not in the habit of clicking seeds. But the villagers gladly indulged in the ugly class and loved to nibble sunflower seeds almost all year round. With the opening of the railway and the growth of labor migration, they brought their habit of flicking sunflower seeds in the city.

Soon the townspeople began to nibble sunflower "seeds". But they did it secretly, hiding from prying eyes within the native walls. Before the October revolution this work was considered indecent. Flipping sunflower seeds in public places was considered the height of barbarism.

The revolution of 1917 decisively swept away the moral foundations of the tsarist regime. Seeds have to click on the streets, which is extremely annoying intellectuals and aristocrats. Marginalization of the population of the era was reflected in literary works by Bulgakov, Bunin and other writers. Unceremoniously flipping the seeds, husks on the marble floor and carpets in a natural way fit into the revolutionary chaos.

The seeds and the Soviet government

Gradually out of chaos sprang the moral character of the Soviet man. Seeds again began to consider a bad habit. Workers left the barricades and returned to the factories, the peasants in the collective farms. The city streets are cleaned from the husk and loitering "elements". As an illustration of the transformation of society can lead a popular slogan: "pioneer seeds do not click!".

Seeds in the post-Soviet space

In the time of perestroika seeds are not only an affordable treat, but also a means of survival. In busier places appeared neat grannies with roasted seeds. Measuring a portion of a glass, they poured them into kites out of old notebooks or Newspapers. It is noteworthy that the buyer was allowed to "take the test".