Farming Books

I'm a first year Horticulture student, and this is my text for Plant Prop. Almost all of the information I've read so far - a few hundred pages - is new to me. Hartmann et. al. do a great job of taking complex, unfamiliar information and expressing it simply and clearly, so that I understand. In the margins of every page, they break out and define important terms, making it very easy to locate definitions when I need them. There are frequent boxes with "in depth" information that more fully explores concepts brought up in the general narrative.

There's also a CD-Rom dictionary, which is helpful, although I find the access is a bit cumbersome - click on a letter, wait for it to open a list, click on a word (if the word you want is there - many of the ones I wanted to find are not included), wait for it to open the definition & picture, then click back to the first page. If it were simply searchable - if I could type in a word without clicking through the various screens - I'd use it more. It's a nice bonus, though, and they didn't have to include anything at all so it seems unfair to rate the book based on the accessibility of the disc contents.

I will say this book would be most useful in tandem with practical labs that explore the concepts and offer the chance to experience what is in the text. I'm taking my class as an independent study, and I find it is very challenging to teach myself all of this material without the benefit of labs, even though my advisor is excellent and always available for my questions. I generally read the text at least twice and often four times, because it's so intense that I don't catch everything on the first run. I plan to try some of the techniques myself, once I gather the supplies I'll need; I think this will make all the difference in my true understanding and retention of what I've read about, and my advisor agrees.

To instructors, I'd say to just be aware that even though the information is presented gently, it's still a lot for a new student to take in, and even the most conscientious student can get overwhelmed by a 100-page reading assignment. It's too much. Break it up, work in some labs, and really encourage discussion to make it come alive. In that context, I can't imagine a better text to use for teaching Plant Prop.

This was one of my textbooks 15 years ago, and I have depended on it in various editions ever since. The information is very dependable and complete.

I was looking forward to the new edition of this classic, but I have to say that I'm really disappointed. It's marketed as an undergraduate textbook in plant propagation (which is how I'm using it), but the content is more suited to students with a background including plant physiology and biochemistry, rather than just an introductory plant biology course, which is what my students have. I can understand the authors' desire to make this the definitive textbook on plant propagation, but including details on biochemistry and molecular biology most often obscures the important, basic points. For example, the whole-page figure (p. 17) on the stages of meiosis shows the stages of meiosis, but does not specify that the reduction division is the first division (the information is there, but you have to read closely to find it). Contrast that with the 5th edition, which states outright that the reduction division occurs first and skips details of anaphase I, etc. This may seem petty, but in my class, students got lost in the details and missed the major point of meiosis. Worse, when it comes to growth regulators, the students simply lost interest in wading through the details to get any information.

I think this edition would be improved by two things: first, skip the "lit review" style of the text and return to a simple narrative emphasizing the basic points of plant propagation. Second, move the details to a separate area of the book, either at the end of each chapter or as Part 2 of the book. For example, a short narrative section explaining each of the growth regulators might be followed by an "in depth" section which cites research relevant to growth regulators in plant propagation. Instructors who teach undergrads could assign reading based on the narrative sections, while instructors with more advanced classes (or students who are interested in learning more) could assign the more detailed sections as well. It's either that or create two books.

My students are simply not reading this book, which is a shame. My older edition is one of the most tattered books on my bookshelf because I reach for it so often.

The Japanese Chin: Dog From The Land Of The Rising Sun by Elisabeth Legl is both a celebration of this unique breed of dog having its origins in ancient Japan, and a very practical guide for owners of a Chin on matters ranging from dealing with a sick or injured dog to housebreaking, training, breeding, and showing. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this superbly written manual which is enthusiastically recommended for Japanese Chin owners everywhere.

This book has everything on the Japanese Chin. It is the best book ever written on the breed for history in the East and the West, personality, care, nutrition, health problems and much more. It is not only for people who want to have a show dog but also for the petowners. In other words a complete and thorough book - a must for anyone interested in the Japanese Chin.

Of the two books we have on the Japanese Chin, this was by far the most useful.

John Culleton
Wexford Irish Terriers

Great book. We have a feed store and we keep a copy to use as a reference and share with our customers.

Third Edition: A thorough compendium on feeding most types of livestock. Nutrient needs of most classes of farm livestock can be found in many sources, but I bought the book especially because of the information dealing with feeding dogs, cats and rabbits.

I recommend the book to anybody interested in producing domestic stock or wanting to understand nutritional needs of their pet dog or cat.

I hope a future edition will include game and exotic stock, such as elk, deer, reindeer, mink, ostrich and emu.

Truly helpful in clarifying points in the lecture of a feeds and feeding class. Could, however, use examples of ration formulations.

The book is a little dry, but you'd expect that from something by the National Research Council. The information within is concise, well-organized and extremely impressive. Have you ever heard of Tarwi before? No? Well it could be the next big bean to replace soy. It just needs a little R & D.

I found this book full of very useful information of food plants from the high altitudes of the Andes. The book also has lower altitude plants used by the Incas.

I found this book full of very useful information of food plants from the high altitudes of the Andes. The book also has lower altitude plants used by the Incas.

This book is a must-read book for anyone concerned about nutrition requirements for horses, as it addresses every element of nutrition that is commonly of concern. Some issues that the book covers are: carbs, proteins, minerals, feed additives, ration formulation, and water quality. Issues concerning donkeys and other equids are also addressed. I did not find it hard to comprehend, but is very explanatory. Preface written by Laurie M. Lawrence, Chairman-Comittee on Nutritional Requirements for Horses. Many highly respected advisors have contributed to the content. Well covered subjects and full of helpful information, I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in horses.

Great book but very technical. Lots of useful information so it is a good book to read. Lots of information on various studies done that may or not may be of interest to readers. A good book to have on your shelf for finding that information on feeding your horse that you would not find anywhere else.

I cannot say enough good things about this book! It is a must for anyone who formulates their horses' diets to any extent and needs specific information on feedstuffs. Particularly helpful if you have a horse with a nutrition-related disease, like insulin resistance or mineral deficiencies.

This book is amazing, inspiring, wonderful. I was so uninterested in the topic of soil before I took a required class in which this book was mentioned. The author, Hillel, discusses the earth from many different points of view, mythological, anthropological, philosophical, ecological, and, of course, scientific. He tells us why the fertile crescent is no longer fertile and about similar destruction we're wreaking on our own bread basket lands right now... Surprisingly, this is an easy book to read. I read many parts of it outloud to friends. Now when I walk I am aware of the life teeming under each step I take...

Daniel Hillel's , Out of the Earth: Civilization and the Life of the Soil, stands as a definite "must read" for all of us. Although science-based throughout, this book reads like a mystery novel as Hillel traces man's relationship to the soil over the centuries. Ultimately , he shows us the destruction wrought on civilizations through neglect and ignorance of the soil, proving in the end, as we have somewhat suspected all along, every civilization is built from the soil--more literally than is often recognized. Hillel's understanding, and empathy, comes through distinctively in this compelling narrative, which he introduces as "not a strictly dispassionate exposition." Drawing on his background in education, he begins with a clear and concise introduction to soil science. From there, he takes us along on a journey across our planet and through time to look at the soil with a new appreciation. Hillel is the best kind of writer - seductively informative and a passionate observer. He brings to his pages an affinity for his subject that could make even a debutante enamored of the very ground upon which we all walk. Hillel details soil management in Israel where he served in different positions with the government. He is intimately familiar with desert soil management, but he ranges far and wide beyond the deserts - into the rain forest as well as the plains of the American Midwest. His experience and his vision encompass the entire earth, and his examples are born from every continent. His clear and instructive text is easily digested; his examples are well thought and concise. This book will repay your investment of time and money with a better understanding of the soil you walk daily - that "dirt" you dig out from under your nails after a day in the garden. I appreciate even more the soil which serves as the foundation of my home and upon which the culture and all that we as a society have built - the thin crust that sustains all the inhabitants of Earth; that delicate layer of the Earth in which we grow our plants and bury all our dead. We live and die as beings, societies and civilizations, in conjunction with the care we bestow upon the soil or withhold from it. We may fare no better than our ancestors in our care of the soil, but it will not be from ignorance with books like Hillel's around. This book sits handily on my bookshelf; I take it down and allow it to open to a page to "spot-peruse." It has become pivotal in my thinking about soil, water and civilization.

This is a very well written study of the intersection of soil and civilization: Mankind's effect on the life-supporting soil around them, and the usually terminal effect of the degraded soil upon mankind. Hillel has a wonderful voice and solid credentials. As Santana said, remember your history or pay the price.

For fans of plant propogation, this is a must-read. I read it every night, and I can't get enough of it. Be sure to dog-ear the section about the "stigma fertilizing the stamen." It's hot!

A very informative book with many examples of plant species and their specific propagation requirements. Very detailed but also useful for the beginning propagationist. Great chapters on tissue culture.

This book was used by my plant propagation teacher while I was at the university. It explains the basic principles of plant propagation in detail. All the information is back-up by scientific data. Very good for the professional grower or a plant science student; not very appropriate for the common gardener.

This book gave me a fascinating view of an area I did not know existed. Ms. Houle lets us explore the Zumwalt with her as she studies the birds of prey on the prairie, the delicate balance of the natural food chain, and the effect of human land management. I have been far more aware of the different birds of prey since reading this book. Ms. Houle's writing induced me to search out other books, identification charts, and exhibits about these fascinating creatures.

The Prairie Keepers is a charming account of a graduate student's summer wildlife biology project. I enjoyed sharing Marcy Houle's youthful enthusiasm for the rugged Zumwalt Prairie, her fascination with prairie wildlife, and her persistent efforts to determine why the buteo hawks thrived in this remote area in Oregon. Her descriptions of the adversarial relationship between the ranchers of the Zumwalt Prairie and the government employees (Forest Service, BLM, Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Game) managing public land were thoughtful and well-balanced. Her recognition of the role ranchers play in preserving the Zumwalt Prairie was particularly insightful.

The remote Zumwalt Prairie in northeastern Oregon is home to a large concentration of buteo hawks - the ferruginous hawks, red-tailed hawks, and the Swainson hawks, all characterized by distinctive broad, round-tipped wings, husky bodies, and wide fanning tails. Elsewhere most hawk populations appear to be in decline. What makes the Zumwalt prairie habitat special?

Marcy Houle had a daunting summer job: locate and identify the nesting buteo population on the 200 square mile Zumwalt prairie. Climb the trees and place leg bands on the hatchlings while cautiously ignoring angry parents. Identify and measure relevant ecological parameters that might offer clues why the Zumwalt prairie is so attractive to buteo hawks.

Her account brought back memories of a summer several years ago when I mapped paleomagnetic trends in southwestern Montana. My field work was in many ways different; I certainly never climbed trees to place leg bands on hawk hatchlings! Nonetheless, I readily related to Marcy Houle's description of her field activities: careful reading of topographic maps and aerial photos, exercising care on private property, and completing transects of range conditions. Thanks to Marcy Houle for an enjoyable book.

Marcy Houle is a wildlife biologist yet her books read as easily as those of any good fiction writer. As Marcy presents the science of her work, in this case the study of hawks, the reader becomes involved in a very interesting story. As man's use of the land becomes more invasive of nature, man needs a better understanding of how his actions effect not only the earth but also himself. Marcy's study of a 200 square mile area known as "The Zumwalt Prairie" in northeastern Oregon provides an informative, interesting, and enjoyable look at man's impact on nature. Well worth reading!

i research on soil microorganism especially on VAM fungi

The reason I got this book was its great keys to soil-dwelling invertebrates. It has very thorough keys even to obscure groups, at least to family level and sometimes to species level! It is much more in-depth than the simple "Soil Biology Guide" name implies. It was written in 1990, so it is not yet out of date. Nearly 1300 pages of keys, habitat info, etc!

This book is a thorough study of soil organisms written in order to be easily used by both beginners and professionals. It needs to be reprinted!!! It is THE book to own when beginning or continuing to study and identify soil invertebrates. I need this book!!

This book is thorough and humane. The author is a shepherd, turned veterinarian. Very knowledgable. Lots of practical information. Written in UK, but doesn't really effect the usefullness of the book. But be aware that the 2002 edition is apparently just a reprint of the 1992 edition, not updated, which means the info may be slightly behind the times.

If you raise sheep you should have a copy of this book. It is a great reference. The only fault I find is that it could use a symptom based index.

Written for the U.K. its an excellent book to have on hand if you have 5 sheep or 5,000.