De la botànica a l’economia. Muntanyes, hortes i viles del Vinalopó observades per Cavanilles

In this article we study the counties of Vinalopó included by Cavanilles in the fourth book of his work Observaciones sobre la historia natural, geografia, agricultura, población y frutos del Reyno de Valencia. The pages dedicated to the Vinalopó show the general themes of the work: relief, valleys and mountains, minerals, vegetation, inhabitants, diseases, agricultural area, crops, livestock, hydraulic structures… From the descriptive writing of the Observaciones we will try to find out the meanings, ideas and illustrated concepts of Cavanilles. First, we review the empiricist method of observing, measuring and classifying that the Valencian botanist applies to the geographical and hydrological context, secondly, we study the agrarian point of view of the abate economy, which we cannot describe as physiocrat. For the Valencian Enlighten-ment, agricultural and manufacturing productions must allow the maintenance of the populations and, consequently, their happiness. Human labour applied to agrarian transformations –mainly irrigation–, proto-industry and non-monopolistic trade allows the progress and wealth of villages. The discourse of the Valencian botanist allows us to reflect on the notions and practices of the Spanish Enlightened authors who never exceeded the threshold of Bourbon despotism.