Reviews (20)

Wildflowers made easy: an indispensable reference.
If you're going to buy just one book on wildflower identification, this is it. While not foolproof, this system is the best I've seen. It beats by far other methods using color and shape of flower, as used in the Audubon and Peterson field guides (though both the latter have their place, and you should get both if you're really serious).

A most unique aspect of this book is that it includes shrubs as well as plants normally considered wildflowers, adding greatly to its utility for the amateur observer.

Simple System Eases Wildflower Identification
The author's system allows even amateurs like me to quickly and accurately identify wildflowers.

It is as simple as answering five questions which point the user to the appropriate page in the book where the flower is described and pictured. The text is great. The first sentence of each description distinguishes that plant from all others in that group.

If you are looking for a wildflower guide, they do not get better than this one.

Hands-down best (for the Northeast)
This is the easiest-to-use and most thorough flower guide I've ever seen. Yes, most illustrations are black-and-white. It's an initial disappointment; however, the quick and sure five-step identification process is worth the lack of color (and the drawings are expertly done). It's much more complete than, say, the Audubon guide. Newcomb has yet to leave me stumped for the identity of any flowering plant. As has been noted, this guide is valid for the Northeast U.S., from Virginia-Kentucky up; and for Canada from Thunder Bay to Newfoundland. I wish the rest of you had a version -- it's indispensible.

Nice book, but..
there's no way to tell from the web pages, but this book is only about wildflowers in the Northeast portion of the U.S., didn't do me much good in California.
Was a Christmas gift that will be returned.
Amazon.com should make it plain that it's regional.

A useful book
Newcomb's guide is a great book, once you get past the initial training period. For those of us used to flipping through pictures of flowers and fruit until we think we have the right one, this book can be initially off-putting.

My advice...get used to it. Newcomb's system is more efficient and more certain than flower-flipping. A good book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For the untrained observer, it can be quite a challenge to sort out the many trees that make up a stand of older forest in, say, New England or the Ozarks. This well-illustrated guidebook, covering 364 species, comes to the rescue with photographs organized in several ways: by, for example, the shape of the leaf or needle, by the fruit, by the flower or cone, and by autumn coloration. Following one visible characteristic or another, the reader can narrow the range of possibilities, then turn to an informative text that describes a tree's physical characteristics, habitat, and range.Many of the species covered are relatively rare, such as the "stinking cedar" of the Georgia-Florida border; others are locally abundant, such as the paper birch of the boreal forest, used to make ice-cream sticks; still others, such as the smooth sumac, are widespread. The guidebook also covers ornamentals introduced from other continents, such as the Chinese privet and Mahaleb cherry. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Trees are for life!
Trees are for life not just firewood or park benches, and been able to identify and expand your knowledge helps in this appreciation. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees is a well laid out book with good reference material and identification method. I bought this book whilst living in LA and it has travelled with me to all corners and bogs. It is a source which is very much appreciated.

A good secondary reference
This book relies heavily on color photos of bark, leaves, flowers, and fruiting bodies. This method makes winter identification diificult, and even when in leaf subtleties which differentiate species may not be evident. I use the Peterson guide to trees and shrubs (ISBN 039535370X) as my primary resource, and use the Audubon book as a secondary source.

Recommended
This is a beautifully bound, easy to use book that gives all kinds of info on many different trees. The size is perfect for tucking away in your pocket when you're not using it.

beautiful book, but very small
this was a beautiful book, but very small in size, be sure to check the size of the book to make sure thats the size you want.

Great reference!
We just purhased some new land with an abundance of trees. While I don't consider myself to be a tree expert, there where quite a few that stumped my husband and I. This is where this great little book came in handy. It lets you identify trees based on either flower, leaf, bark, etc and has them sorted into appropriate sections with colored photos. Needless to say, we have used this book time and time again. It is a nice size too so that you can take it with you. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

More Appropriate for the Farm than the Home
Contrary to what many cultivation cognoscenti repeatedly say, this book is not the 'bible' of mushroom cultivation. Although the amount of information in this book is impressive, it is limited to a handful of species, and gives exact growth parameters for a few select mushrooms, principally those belonging to Agaricus, Pleurotus, Psilocybe/Panaeolus, and Stropharia. It should also be noted that while some species, such as Pleurotus and Agaricus are relatively easy to cultivate, others such as Stropharia and Psilocybe/Panaeolus may be difficult to cultivate even under the most favorable conditions. As many of the topics in the book are more appropriate for the small mushroom farm, the book is anything but practical for home-based cultivation. As a result, using this book as a basis for hobby cultivation will more than likely take the fun out of cultivation entirely.

That said, the book explains the science behind mushroom cultivation very well, but places considerable emphasis on composting and Agaricus/Psilocybe production. The emphasis on Agaricus is understandable, as it is a commercially cultivated mushroom with mass appeal, but Psilocybe species are covered in a bit too much detail for my taste. More lab techniques are presented in this book than in Stamet's Growing Gourmet Mushrooms, and the authors provide detailed info on starting cultures from scratch, spawn maintenance and propagation, as well as setting up your own lab. One very strong selling point of the book is the authors' elaboration on the importance of good environmental control and how to achieve it, although again, the information on this topic would be more appropriate for a farm than a home. The authors also include two very detailed chapters giving information on invertebrate (insect) and microbial pests/contaminants and provide an excellent chapter on trouble-shooting during cultivation, focusing in particular on microbial pests/contaminants. The book includes a fairly good run-down on cultivation using non-composted substrates, but it could be expanded to include more substrates, more cultivation strategies, and more mushroom species that grow well on non-composted substrates. However, Stamets and Chilton primarily refer to varieties of alder, which is readily available in riparian and montaine habitats in the Pacific Northwest, and while they do provide the reader with material properties on other suitable hardwood substrates such as oak, beech, and birch in an appendix, a future edition should endeavor to show the reader the same techniques using those substrates. The authors end the book with a chapter that briefly explains the fundamentals of genetics and reproduction of edible mushrooms. The book's appendices contain invaluable information such as the construction of air and environmental systems, the composition of various potential substrates, data collection records and conversion tables, all of which do much to enhance its appeal to mushroom farmers. Finally, the book also includes a comprehensive and understandable glossary of key terms, a detailed bibliography, and a comprehensive index.

Essentially, the book's emphasis is on those mushroom species that can be grown with ease on compost with a few commercial species, such as shiitake, enoki, and oyster thrown in to round out the mix. You really have to look elsewhere for more detailed information on the medicinal properties of mushrooms and mushroom growing resources. Additionally, I found the absence of good, reliable economic data on mushroom cultivation, especially from the small farm or business standpoint to be lacking in both of Stamet's texts. While this text in particular was very comprehensive when it came mushroom science, I found myself looking to Stamet's Growing Gourmet Mushrooms for historical, cultural, taxonomic and medicinal information on edibles. Additionally, Growing Gourmet Mushrooms emphasized the edibles more, while this book played up the hallucinogenic mushrooms. Finally, better quality pictures, especially those in color and high resolution, would add significant value to this book.

In sum, while the average hobby cultivator just embarking on mushroom growing may find the information a bit too complicated, those looking to turn their hobby into a small farm venture will find it to be invaluable. To fully employ the techniques and methods presented in this book, the aspiring cultivator would have to invest a considerable amount of time and money. As such, I believe that this book is an excellent complement to a small farm operation. Those individuals looking to embark on hobby mushroom growing should first read Hajo Hadeler's Medicinal Mushrooms You Can Grow, and Paul Stamet's Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. Once the hobbyist is thoroughly familiar with the topic and the ins and outs of micro-scale (home-based) cultivation, I would strongly recommend that he or she pick up this book. As such, I see this as being more for folks who are serious about running a small farm or mushroom business, as most hobby growers would not even take the trouble to set up their own lab, or even maintain starter cultures beyond grain spawn. Thus, I recommend that this book be bought only after more basic information on mushrooms and their cultivation has been fully acquired.

Excellent Reference
This book is a excellent reference and guide for the intermediate to advanced mushroom grower. The emphasis is not necessarily on growing at home because the techniques described in the book require a pretty sophisticated lab. To grow mushrooms in the average kitchen with the dog walking by and shaking would be difficult using the info from this book. Of course if you buy the laminar flow hood from the author then things will be much easier for 800 dollars. The book is weak on sterile technique methods needed to sucessfully cultivate without laminar flow hoods.
Overall the book is a very comprehensive outline for successful cultivation indoors and outdoors. I reccommend it

This is the best book I have found.
Between both of paul's books, I have been unable to find anything even close. I consider this book to be the mushroom cultivation bible. I must agree with the statement above that it is written for a bigger cultivation operation than your bathroom. But there are so many differant scenarios for the home lever cultivator that there is no way a book could cover them. So Paul did what I believe he should have and wrote a book on the best way to grow mushrooms and left it up to us hobbyists to come as close as possible to achieving the optimum.

More than I asked for
I did not really understand just how comprehensive this book is until I recieved it in the mail. This book has everything and it is all in large print and worded well so it is easy to read. The majority of photos are black and white However there are some high resolution color photos in there as well. This is one of those books that you can pass down to your kids. There should not be a reason why your not going to buy this book.

Great Service
Great price and Great Service! Ordered and received in five days. ... Read more

Book Description

The new edition is completely rewritten, beginning to end.The classic "Indoor Bible" puts all the latest information on indoor cultivation at your fingertips.Learn how growers maximize yields, harvesting more than a pound of connoisseur quality bud per 1000w bulb every two months.Includes precise color drawings and photos of numerous plant problems, a troubleshooting chart, four case studies, weekly checklist, calendar, glossary and index.

The book is packed with extensive information on hydroponics, including the Sea Of Green, lighting, soils & soilless mixes, CO2, insect, spider mite, fungus & disease control, fertilizers, nutrient disorders, seeds & seedlings, seed companies, plant care, mother plants, pruning & bending, determining sex, odor control, drying, harvest, medicinal use, safety and security.

200 color photos
200 b/w drawings, charts & graphs

Step-by-Step guide to:
Setting up grow rooms
Setting up light systems
Setting up light movers
Setting up ventilation systems
Planting ideal gardens
Growing perfect clones
Flawless transplanting
Bountiful harvests
Breeding & beyond

Indoor Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor Bible is the best-selling book on indoor marijuana cultivation in the world.This is why growers christened it "The Indoor Bible". All editions of the book have been bestsellers since it was first published in 1983.The book is packed with simple how-to examples and step-by-step instructions that both novice and advanced growers use successfully. If you want to read only one book on indoor growing, this is it! ... Read more

Reviews (33)

The science of indoor growing
With the way times change, this new edition of Indoor Horticulture is as indispensable now as its predecessor was in its moment. In the multidisciplinary field of indoor growing Mr Cervantes steers enerringly betwixt the science of closet cultivation and the art of growing kind herbs. Whether you're off-and-going or up-and-coming this book has everything you need to know and then some. If you have a problem that isn't mentioned here, maybe you're growing a different plant... that's where the high-quality color photos come in handy. As the cover suggests, an "illuminating" book that leaves no stone unturned, not even the sobering memory of thousands of drug war prisoners in jail for growing marijuana. Highly recommendable.

Indoor Marijuana Horticulture - The Indoor Bible
This is the only guide you will need, it covers everything you will need to know from A to Z. The book is packed with extensive information on hydroponics, including the Sea Of Green, lighting, soils & soilless mixes, CO2, insect, spider mite, fungus & disease control, fertilizers, nutrient disorders, seeds & seedlings, seed companies, plant care, mother plants, pruning & bending, determining sex, odor control, drying, harvest, medicinal use, safety and security. It also has 200 color photos, 200 b/w drawings, charts & graphs, ALL IN ONE BOOK! I guess that's why they call it "The Indoor Bible".

Great, but could have been better
Jorge covers everything you want to know about indoor marijuana growing, only there are frequent errors and contradicting statements. It also could have been better organized, but its vast supply of info makes up for these shortcummings.

Almost Perfect
One of the best ever grow guides. When you consider how much you'll spend on seeds and equipment to grow, you've go to see the value in buying a manual and this is a great investment. True there are a few mistakes and it's a little uneven, some subjects are covered in amazing detail and others in very little, but this is a must have for any potentail grower.

Jorge knows whats up!
People ask me all the time to recommend a grow book. Without fail, I always point to Mr. Cervantes work. He has been a respectable icon in the cannabis world for many years, and really knows his stuff.

Jason King,
Author: The Cannabible
www.thecannabible.com ... Read more

Book Description

No other single volume on native plants has such comprehensive horticultural coverage. Nearly seven hundred species of native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, grasses, and wildflowers from the northeastern quarter of the United States and all of eastern Canada are included. Of course, the natural ranges of many of the plants extend beyond this area, and the book is an essential resource for everyone interested in gardening with native plants of all kinds, as well as those who need the information provided here for habitat restoration and enhancement of biodiversity for the sake of conservation. Natural plant communities of eastern North America are described, providing a foundation for the choice of plants for different areas and climates---or a variety of sites in the garden---as well as for restoration of native plant habitats. Illustrated throughout with color photographs, the encyclopedic portion of the book includes practical advice on cultivation and propagation in addition to descriptions, ranges, and information on hardiness. An appendix recommends particular plants for difficult situations and for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife. Written from the unique perspective of an author who has professional credentials in horticulture, botany, forestry, and ecology as well as hands-on practical experience, this book is the most trustworthy single source for all who wish to cultivate native plants. ... Read more

Book Description

Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers’ genes far and wide. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a
similarly reciprocal relationship. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also done well by them. So who is really domesticating whom? ... Read more

Reviews (95)

A good read, and very informative
I read this book after hearing a talk by Pollan on New Dimensions radio (in their "Bioneers" series), and I found it (like his talk) perfectly delightful. I don't agree that his use of science is misleading: he's done his homework and researched his subjects pretty thoroughly, and if he takes sides on an issue (e.g., anti-pesticide and anti-genetic-engineering), it's a reasoned conclusion rather than an unthinking bias. The book is anecdotal and impressionistic, not a closely-reasoned scientific argument, but I felt that its rather loose structure worked well: it's a fun read, he kept me interested all the way through, and I learned a surprising amount about history, botany, and horticulture. I've read several accounts of the Potato Famine, but Pollan's "take" on it was intriguing: he sees it as the world's most ghastly example of the dangers of monoculture, and I agree that it's a lesson we all need to take to heart. (But it's also a case of How A Fungus Changed The World: if the potato blight hadn't dispersed the Irish all over the world, many countries -- in Latin America, as well as the obvious contenders, Australia and the U.S. -- would be very different today.) The book is easy to read and amusing, but he also makes some important points, and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Conversational prose, brimming with allusions
I just finished this lovely little book,and would highly reccommend it. If nothing else, this book prepares one for many interesting conversations. I am now knowledgable about the true Johnny Appleseed, the tulip craze of Holland, the highly specialized marijuana culture, and new developments in the genetic engineering of potatoes. (To name a few!)
The fact that Pollan is not a scientist, but an avid gardener and researcher, among other things, should be considered an asset to the reader. He avoids esoteric scientific terminology, but the text remains sophisticated because his allusions prove huge amounts of research. Each part of the book, each "desire", has its own special charm. I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite. This book truly opens one's eyes to "a plant's-eye view of the world". Though by no means the be-all-end-all on this topic, it is a beautiful natural history.

How passionate are you about plants?
Pollan's book was pleasurable and engaging to read. It is a book that got me to think and expanded my perspective. It places our relationship with plants in specific contexts, with a unique hybrid of sociological and genetic prose. Recommended highly for those passionate about gardening, nature, or food.

Nature and Culture from a Gardener's Perspective
While you probably wouldn't want to use "The Botany of Desire" for scientific research purposes, this excellent nonfiction book effectively combines elements of science with those of history, cultural theory and mythology (from the early Greek to the Frontier American varieties). The tone is casual, not scholarly. Pollan is also a gardener, and his passion for growing things and his curiosity about life from the plant's-eye view shines through his text.
"The Botany of Desire" is a nonfiction book with an innovative structure: instead of telling a straight chronological story of the domestication of plants, Pollan instead selects four plants and tells each of their stories in turn, describing how their progress through the world has been shaped by human desires -- and the changes in those desires through history.
This book is also a travelogue of sorts: Pollan journeys through the Midwest in search of Johnny Appleseed's true life story, to Holland for the Cannabis Cup and the historical sites of "tulipomania," and to corporate factory forms to learn about genetic modification of the potato.
Most importantly, Pollan shows us around his own garden and introduces us to the plants that live there. Each of the four historical narratives begins and ends with the plant's history in his own backyard. As a host and a travel guide, Pollan takes on a fascinating journey through time, nature and culture.

I highly recommend this book to plant lovers and gardeners of all varieties, and to those who are interested in the shaping of nature by cultural forces (and vice versa). If this isn't you, it would still probably make a great gift for someone you know.

fascinating page turner
Wildly Enthusiastic Recommend: Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
This book is really different from your average reading fare. It's a delightful mix of facts both scientific and historical, fantastical meanderings, and just plain fun. The catching premise is that plants have co-opted man into promoting their prosperity. Pollan uses four plants to illustrate this premise: apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes. Each chapter is a wonderfully readable story about the plant and its history intertwined with its relationship to man. The apple chapter has amazing information about Johnny Appleseed, and because as a child I wanted to be Johnny Appleseed, I found this fascinating. It reinforced my belief that I had good instincts as a kid. Then the tulip chapter gives you the details of tulip-mania in the Netherlands in the 1600s (think Internet bubble), making it seem amazing that this sort of thing keeps happening. The marijuana chapter is the funniest and most sinister in that it makes you want to get some good stuff, now. The potato chapter is the scariest - genetically modified foods. ... Read more

Book Description

This text is intended for introductory courses in forest measurements. Emphasis is on the measurement of timber, with detailed coverage on measuring products cut from tree boles, measuring attributes of standing trees, inventorying volumes of forest stands, and predicting growth of individual trees and stands of trees. Background information on statistial methods, sampling designs, land measurements, and use of aerial photographs is also provided. An introduction to assessing range, wildlife, water, and recreation resources associated with forested lands comprises the last chapter. The measurement principles and techniques discussed apply to any inventory that includes assessment of the tree overstory, regardless of whether the inventory is conducted for timber, range, wildlife, watershed, recreation, or other management objectives. ... Read more

Book Description

Trees are vital to the healthy functioning of the global ecosystem and unparalleled in the range of materials they provide for human use. This volume is a comprehensive introduction to the natural history of trees, with information on all aspects of tree biology and ecology in easy-to-read and concise language.Peter Thomas uncovers fascinating insights into these ubiquitous plants, addressing in an illuminating way questions such as how trees are designed, how they grow and reproduce, and why they eventually die. Written for a nontechnical audience, the book is nonetheless rigorous in its treatment and a valuable source of reference for beginning students as well as interested lay readers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Learn 1,000 new things!!!
This is an amazing book!! Every page expands what you thought you knew. How do they get that water up 100+ feet? Why are trees deciduous? (Better questions are how many ways they are deciduous, and why, and what does deciduous really mean anyway?) This will make any hike you take more interesting, any tree rings you inspect simply fascinating.

Root and branch!
Trees: Their Natural History by Peter Thomas is a significant book for any student of trees or enthusiast for dendrology. The structure, function and life-cycle of trees is covered with warmth, perception and with authority. The writing is accessible although there are perhaps a few too many jokes. Despite this drawback the book is full of good reference material, thankfully lacking the homey philosophy and proselytizing of other writers in aboriculture. ... Read more

Book Description

A tale of obsession so fierce that a man kills the thing he loves most: the only giant golden spruce on earth.

As vividly as Jon Krakauer put readers on Everest, John Vaillant takes us into the heart of North America's last great forest, where trees grow to eighteen feet in diameter, sunlight never touches the ground, and the chainsaws are always at work.

When a shattered kayak and camping gear are found on an uninhabited island, they reignite a mystery surrounding a shocking act of protest. Five months earlier, logger-turned-activist Grant Hadwin had plunged naked into a river in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, towing a chainsaw. When his night's work was done, a unique Sitka spruce, 165 feet tall and covered with luminous golden needles, teetered on its stump. Two days later it fell.

The tree, a fascinating puzzle to scientists, was sacred to the Haida, a fierce seafaring tribe based in the Queen Charlottes. Vaillant recounts the bloody history of the Haida and the early fur trade, and provides harrowing details of the logging industry, whose omnivorous violence would claim both Hadwin and the golden spruce. 16 pages of illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

John Vaillant, The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madn
On January 20, 1997, Grant Hadwin cut down a conifer (see pp. 127 ff.). Unfortunately, this was not just any tree, but a near unique golden Sitka spruce in British Colombia's Queen Charlotte Islands, some 165 feet tall and over three hundred years old. The tree was sacred to the Haida tribe, who believed that it was a transformed youth(see pp. 155-57). Hadwin, who subsequently perished while crossing Hecate Strait- or disappeared before his court date, depending upon which story you choose to believe (see pp. 159-81)- was ironically an environmentalist who wished to draw attention to the destruction of the region's forests.
My pet peeve first. Where is a picture of the tree? It is inconceivable that no view of the book's subject, either before or after its felling, is available, and yet (with the doubtful exception of the picture on the cover) none of the sixteen pictures in the book deals with the object which "stands" at its epicenter. In a way, this absence is a fitting symbol for the larger work. There is no question that Mr. Vaillant can write; he brings logging alive in a way that lesser craftsmen could not. We find out why the Queen Charlotte Islands are termed the "Canadian Galapagos" (at p. 28) at the same time that British Colombia is referred to as the "Brazil of the North" (at p. 100). We are introduced to a specialized argot, with terms such as "nurse logs" (at p. 8), "spruce flats" (at p. 16), "logger's smallpox" (at p. 76), "highballing" (at p. 77), "widowmakers" (at p. 129), and "pig's ears" (at p. 132). Vaillant, not content with this "forest" of information, discusses ecological problems, Haida culture, and intercultural relations. The void left by the fall of the Golden Spruce, however, is paralleled by a lack of in-depth information about Grant Hadwin. While Vaillant appears to have made, well, valliant efforts to interview those connected with the incident and indeed acknowledges "those members of the Hadwin familywho shared their memories and insights with me" (at p. [xi]), no specific citations appear to be listed in the Endnotes (see pp. [243]-50). This lack of information prevents us from more fully understanding Hadwin and his motive, and that in turn leaves only a gap in space where the real object once existed.
The Golden Spruce should be read both for the information it imparts and for the quality of Vaillant's prose. Ultimately, however, it does not break the log-jam of facts and speculations surrounding this hopefully unique (but see pp. 140-41, 213) occurrence.

Samuel Pyeatt Menefee

COMPELLING AND VISIONARY
John Vaillant conjures the mystery of the Pacific Northwest coast where hundred-foot waves wash fish into the limbs of trees and diving birds fly underwater, a land where the Haida people collaborate in their own near destruction through exploitation of the otter trade, a place where an indestructible and brilliant logger becomes a zealous, misguided environmentalist.The rainforest is a place of myth and transformation.If you dare to enter, you will be changed.And if you enter the world of this magical book, where trees grow 300 feet tall and live 500 years, you will be transfigured by what you know.John Vaillant has exposed a compelling story, a murder mystery where the victim is a rare spruce with brilliant golden needles.Without sentimentality, with complete reverence for the tree as a tree, Vaillant illuminates the terrible loss, and the deeper loss it represents: the desecration of old growth forests.Mr. Vaillant has done his research and rendered his tale with suspense and energy, with great beauty, in a language that approaches poetry. ... Read more

Book Description

Here, at last, is a lavishly illustrated manual for ready identification of 299 common and economically important weeds in the region south to Virginia, north to Maine and southern Canada, and west to Wisconsin. Based on vegetative rather than floral characteristics, this practical guide gives anyone who works with plants the ability to identify weeds before they flower.A dichotomous key to all the species described in the book is designed to narrow the choices to a few possible species. Identification can then be confirmed by reading the descriptions of the species and comparing a specimen with the drawings and photographs.A fold-out grass identification table provides diagnostic information for weedy grasses in an easy-to-use tabular key. Specimens with unusual vegetative characteristics, such as thorns, square stems, whorled leaves, or milky sap, can be rapidly identified using the shortcut identification table.The first comprehensive weed identification manual available for the Northeast, this book will facilitate appropriate weed management strategy in any horticultural or agronomic cropping system and will also serve home gardeners and landscape managers, as well as pest management specialists and allergists. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Weeds of the Northeast
I help identify weeds in Texas and this is one of my most used books to check an ID after Keying out a plant or for taking a quick look through a recognized family. Very few books concentrate on weeds so this type of book is much needed. Excellent photography and good information. This is so well done, I wish the authors would do it again with 175 different weeds. Thanks for a truely great book.

Weeds of the Northeast
Great book for the homeowners and horticulturalists. Great pictures and descriptions. The weed "Bible".

Certainly one of the best "weed" books ever!
This book is a treasure. I own and use many dozens of "weed" and plant books and this is one of the most comprehensive and useful. The written presentation for each plant includes information on its propagation, seedlings, roots, flowers and fruits and habitat, and more. The photographs are excellent and show the habit, seedling, leaves, flowers/fruits and seeds. Some grasses are also included.

I hope that the authors will eventually expand the geographical coverage and the number of species. I'll be first in line to buy a new edition!

Recommended!
Very fine, with great pictures and identification tables in the back that help you tell the difference between similar varieties of weeds. In fact, it's the best book I've found for identifying weeds. My only complaints are that it's a bit scientific and dry, and garlic mustard - a very destructive weed - is not included.

Awesome weed book!
This is one of the best weed books I have come across. It has very clear descriptive text and the photos are all clear and crisp. But what really thrilled me is that in addition to this the authors have included photos of seedlings and seeds of each species! Who hasn't been out in the field only to be stumped on a plant's identification because the plant is only in the seedling stage? Me, for one... lots of times. The book even has a section on common weed tree seedlings. Wow! I would recommend this book to any professional or amatuer botanist. I hope to see more from these authors. ... Read more

Book Description

Nothing is as colorful as a field of wildflowers in full-bloom so what could be more appropriate than a magnificent field guide with beautiful full-color photographs? More than 1,000 species are covered in full detail, with notes on more than 400 others. The 700 identification photographs show wildflowers-including grasses and sedges, and many flowering vines and shrubs-in their natural habitats.

Note: the Eastern Edition generally covers states east of the Rocky Mountains, while the Western Edition covers the Rocky Mountain range and all the states to the west of it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Recommended
These audubon field guide books are great. Beautifully bound and easy to use with great photographs and detailed descriptions of each species. Also, they are the perfect size for your shirt or pants pocket.

Great exercise
My husband bought this book in 1980 after his heart attack. He used it to go into the preserve across the street. He would get exercise as well as an education.

Excellent
I had to collect wildflowers during the summer for an Honors Biology class. The field guides we were given were ones with drawings instead of photographs. It was very hard to correctly identify the wildflower with only a drawing. This field guide is excellent. You identify the flowers with color photographs, and the book gives a fairly in-depth description on the flower, habitat, range, and other comments about the flower. I would recommend this guide to anyone who has to identify wildflowers for school, or just enjoys identifying for pleasure.

Excellent Guide, Easy to Use
I have another wildflower guide which I tried using and was very frustrated with their drawings and color plates. I bought this guide out of desperation---and am completely satisfied. Its simple and easy to use. The flowers are easier to identify with color photography, complete with close up caption. Descriptions are listed later. Not everything is jumbled together, so that your'e fumbling out there around through so many pages. So easy to use. The flowers are more generalized than specific---you won't find 50 examples of a violet--but you'll find several at best. It depends on how detailed you want to get. Quick, ready to use guide that fits perfectly in your husbands fishing vest or in a backpack. Go for it!

Best I've seen
Excellent guide -- good photographs organized by color and blossom shape, cross-referenced to detailed classification and habitat information. By far the easiest classification guide I've used (and I've tried many). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Much has changed in the role and use of ornamental grasses over the past 100 years. Whereas turn-of-the-century gardeners had perhaps a dozen perennial grasses to choose from, today's gardeners have hundreds. Ornamental grasses now embody a huge array of textures, forms, sizes, colors, flowering times, and cultural adaptations. The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is intended for gardeners in a wide range of situations and climates, and draws from the experience and creativity of great gardens and gardeners around the world. It begins with an exploration of the unique aesthetics and appeal of ornamental grasses before moving on to a review of the families of grasses and a survey of grasses in their native habitats. Gardeners usually speak of "ornamental grasses" in the broad sense, including not only the true grasses but also related families of grass-like plants. Following this tradition, the book provides a detailed treatment of perennial grasses, rushes, and cattails, as well as selected bamboos. Written by horticulturist Rick Darke, this encyclopedia will be invaluable to nursery professionals, landscapers, and home gardeners. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Absolutely Fantastic
This is such a wonderful informational book... AND ... a gorgeous coffee table book. It is terrific from beginning to end! If you like or are interested in, or even thinking about Ornamental Grasses ... then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! I can't imagine anyone who has an interest in Ornamental Grasses NOT LOVING THIS BOOK, and would be delighted they purchased it. My only concern is that it is going to look dog-earred from my reading it over and over and over again ... which frankly takes away from its beauty on our coffee table.

Buy 2 copies...
This book is structured, written, photographed and edited with parallel purpose and effect: communication of the author's respect and regard for the book's subject and for its readers. Mr. Darke sets out to inform and does so with enconomy but in full course; when he instructs, he teaches the novice and gives pause to the critic; when he photographs he shows his passion and inspires with the nature and wonder of his subjects. The book is encyclopedic, yet its prose is always to the point with the agreeable dryness of a good, well-bodied wine. Credible, trustworthy, enlightening. This is the best gardening book I have ever read. Negatives? Only one: Mr. Darke's standards are unimpeachable; those of the book's typographer and designer, however, are not.

Excellent information, awesome photographs
Excellent and complete information about ornamental grasses. A great book.

Thirty pages on the botany, anatomy, and classification of grasses. Twenty pages on native habitat, thirty pages on designing with grasses, and twenty pages of growing and propagating grasses. 170 page encyclopedia listing 400+ species / varieties of grasses. Each species is described in a paragraph or two of text along side a clear photograph of the plant. In the back of the book, you find a 2 page glossary, 5 page bibliography, 2 page grass nursery listing, USDA and European hardiness maps, and a complete index of all grasses by common name. Very complete book.

As a bonus, the book is also filled with awesome photography.

If you garden with ornamental grasses, this book is a must buy. Excellent information, well worth the money!

Excellent information and beautiful photos
If you have no grasses in your garden now, your yard will be transformed by this book. The cultural information is well researched and thorough, but it is the incredible photographs that will keep you reading. I often look up a particular grass and find myself still reading hour later. ... Read more

Book Description

Looking for a faster, easier, and fun way to identify plants?Botany in a Day teaches you the patterns method of plant identification, so that you can discover the wonderful world of plants around you, wherever you go.

Instead of trying to identify plants one-at-a-time, Botany in a Day give you a way to learn them by the hundreds, based on the principle that related plants have similar patterns for indentification, and they often have similar uses.

The one-day tutorial included in the text teaches you seven key patterns to recognize more than 45,000 species of plants worldwide.Master these seven patterns and you will be ready to use the included reference guide--Thomas J. Elpel's Herbal Field Guide to Plant Families of North America.Here you will find the patterns for indentification and the patterns of uses for the majority of plants across the continent.

Botany in a Day is used as a guide by thousands of individuals, plus herbal schools and universities across North America. ... Read more

Book Description

This book focuses readers on the function of plants and the role they play in our world. The authors emphasize the scientific method to help readers develop the critical thinking skills they need to make sound decisions throughout life. This focus on how plants work and the development of critical thinking skills together support the ultimate goal of developing scientific literacy.This book is organized around the themes of DNA science, global ecology, and evolution.The key concepts discussed in the book are molecules, cells and microbes; plant structure and reproduction; and, plant diversity and the environment.For anyone interested in botany (plant biology). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great reference book with lots of nice photos
I've known many biology textbooks, but this has the nicest and best photos you could ever find. Though this book mainly aims for non-majors, I, a botany graduate student, still find it very useful and informative. Highly recommend this for people who want to know about general plant biology, but have been intimidated by heavy, thick textbooks. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Resource for Landscape Architects
Booth and Hiss describe in much detail the design process for residential landscapes. They strike a proper balance between basic design concepts and essential business knowledge. Landscape design students would do well to internalize the process described here, since the book's practical focus is unlikely to be duplicated in their Landscape Architecture curriculum.

Excellent
This book is truly a gem -- it clearly and concisely explains every imaginable aspect of residential landscape design using very straigtforward and easy to understand text and diagrams.

Ignore the fact that this seems to have been written as some sort of textbook for a beginer's course for professional landscape architects. I am an ordinary homeowner and I found the book to be easy and enjoyable to read, and quite educational. I now feel like I understand enough to design a professional quality landscape for my own home.

In case it matters, I own the second edition (Amazon is now selling the third edition). I can only assume that this latest edition is even better than the edition I have.

designing with ease!
what an outstanding book! i discovered this book during a course in garden planning that i'm taking this semester( i'm a student at the faculty of agriculture at the uni of jerusalem, in isreal) and it practically has all that you need to plan a super garden: the illustations are clear to understand, are varriable and give plenty of examples and of course ideas. the solutions to a lot of problems i encountered while trying to plan different spaces and gardens during my course, were solved with ease after looking through this easy to understand book. i dearly recommend any one with even the slightest love or nearness to gardening , design or just plain old mother nature to go out and get this book - it will surely help you get your house and garden design going in the right direction. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Alternative View of Forests Based on Hard Science
Ever sense that television news is more about cosmetics, sound bites, and talk-show celebrity journalism than it is about digging for hard facts and verifying authentic sources? Misinformation about forests and forestry appears to be like that - superficial and unsubstantiated. The problem with lazy thinking like "where there's smoke, there's fire" is that any actual firefighter can tell you it is smoke that kills, almost never fire. Yet society sits in judgement amid great black clouds of speculation while never asking the experts about the true operating principles.

What is amazing is that Patrick Moore's highly educated and scientific position on forest management should be so widely assailed in the court of common knowledge and public opinion. There is very little examination of fact. Widespread untruths circulate freely, and every opposing viewpoint is demonized. Further reason to carefully consider Patrick Moore's contrarian view and verifyable science -- and note his incredible courage to put his personal reputation on the line, given the fact that his name is in the pantheon of great environmentalists of the 20th Century.

Eye-opening is an understatement. The facts presented in this book alone should warrant a careful reexamination of public opinion, government policy, and precipitate an audit of facts presented by various sides of environmental issues. Most people want to do the right thing to insure a vigorously healthy environment. What we don't need is to give over leadership of human destiny to extremist viewpoints which are founded on a belief that humans are a cancer on the face of the Earth, that technology and science are evil, and that the only solution is rolling back the clock 500 years to a pre-Columbian Garden of Eden.

Green Spirit has the courage to look at the environmental movement in a constructive way and say, "The Emperor Has No Clothes." On the issue of forests, it is as if some crazy Theodore Kaczynski is head environmental activist, public opinion trendsetter, and public policy oracle. Who can deny that the show is being run based on some kind of anti-human, anti-technology Unibomber manifesto? ... Read more

Book Description

Based on the author's life-long practical experiences both in the industry and in research, this best-selling, state-of-the-art guide to the operation of commercial flower and vegetable greenhouses presents coverage in the order in which decision-making concerns occur. Exceptionally comprehensive—yet accessible—it provides detailed, step-by-step instructions in layman's terms for ALL aspects of the business—from the physical facilities, to the day-to-day operations, to business management and marketing.Specific chapter topics cover greenhouse construction, heating, and cooling; environmental control systems; root substrate; root substrate pasteurization; watering; fertilization; alternative cropping system; carbon dioxide fertilization; light and temperature; chemical growth regulation; insect control; disease control; postproduction quality; marketing; and business management.For individuals entering the greenhouse business. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent textbook
Nelson's text is probably the most widely used on college campuses offering greenhouse management. It is up to date, full of technical information, and the chapters are well-ordered.

My only complaint is that it is VERY badly formatted and so, difficult to read. Like the Biblical book of Numbers, it will have you sawing logs if read at bedtime. The publisher could learn alot from Boodley's The Commercial Greenhouse, which is much more readable. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (11)

A 'must' for people interested in edible wild plants
My only regret about this book is that it isn't longer!

The plants are organized by season, and every plant has a small map to show what regions it grows in. There is a very nice, good sized picture of each plant, and most of them are in color. Information is also provided about harvesting, how to prepare the plant, and poisonous look alikes, if any.

The plants are listed by their common names, but the latin names are listed as well. Plants can be located by either name in the index.

If you are interested in edible wild plants, this book is a great value for a reasonable price.

This is a book that all who play outdoors ought to have.
I bought this book to use to gather wild plants for making homemade wines, but now it's a companion whenever I go hiking, fishing, camping, or merely sightseeing. It's that valuable!

The book is divided into an introductory section, guides to harvesting plants in each of the four seasons, the plants themselves (also presented seasonally), poisonous plants, a nutritional guide, and two great indices. The introduction includes great tips on how to prepare wild foods as drinks, snacks, entres, and condiments, along with recipes for 25 jellies, 20 jams and 17 fruit and berry pies. But the good part is yet to come.

Each plant is presented with a good-to-excellent photograph, a distribution map (so a person in the Pacific Northwest doesn't have to wonder whether he or she is looking at a squashberry or a hobblebush berry), a complete description, identification of the edible parts, harvest and preparation notes, related species, and poisonous look-alikes (if any). The presentations are just excellent. My only complaint is that the book isn't twice as thick.

Whether you just want to be prepared for emergencies or you want to collect wild edibles for making jams, jellies, pies, and wine, this book is one of the only two you'll probably need. The other is a good regional guide, because with over 20,000 species of plants to choose from north of the Rio Grande alone, a guide to regional edibles is a must.

Learning Edible Plants
This books shows, in an easy to understand format-in my opinion-a person how to identify wild edible plants that they can harvest (some even in their own backyard). It shows photos of the plants, tells you if there is a poisonous look alike plant, how to identify them, common locations of the plants, and how to prepare them for a meal. If someone wants to learn more about eating plants that grow in the wild, this book is the one I think should be in their library.

Only Fair for Identification
Identification of edible species is what I want, with emphasis on the first word. From my experience in identifying tree species and other plant ID handbooks, I'd call this one mediocre. The photos are often close-ups with no indication of scale, so size is unknown. Details are not included. Root structure and overall plant structure are seldom shown. ID often depends on flowers, present only for a few weeks of the year. Variation among species is so widespread that I'd recommend at least two good books, with better illustrations than those found here. Drawings, though not "natural", often provide better clues to identity by showing roots, structure, etc.

Good
Eating what you find in the wild can be a life saver. Learn about plants, not just N. American, but any place in the world that you might be called to serve. ... Read more

Book Description

"Some artists use canvas to create a work of art. David Mellor uses a baseball field. His patterns are so precise and imaginative, I call him the Rembrandt of groundskeeping."
--Bob Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers Broadcaster

Now you can transform your sports field or clubhouse lawn into an envy-grabbing work of optic art. In this book, David Mellor shares the turf mowing and maintenance secrets that have made him one of the leading creators of elaborate patterns used on athletic turf nationwide. Articles about Mellor's work have been published in the New York Times and USA Today, and he is currently the director of grounds for the Boston Red Sox Baseball Club. In Picture Perfect, Mellor gives you the benefit of his years of experience along with simple-to-use techniques for creating playing fields that are without doubt a cut above the rest. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Awesome!
Just bought this book about 2 hours ago, and put it down only to write this review. This guy is one heck of an artist.
Picasso of the putting greens!

Taking Your Grass Care a Cut Above Where It Is Today!
Summary: Picture Perfect is the ultimate resource for those who want to add even more beauty and interest to their grass by growing and maintaining healthier turf and cutting it in original and beautiful patterns.

Review: Mr. Mellor is the Director of Grounds for the Boston Red Sox and is thoroughly knowledgeable about grass. His advice is sound, thorough, and easy-to-follow. He has you begin by testing your soil to see what it is missing, establishing your turf properly, fertilizing appropriately, fighting off weeds and disease, mowing properly with the right equipment, and solving problems.

Once that grass is in place, he moves on to explain the art of adding patterns to the grass by using rollers with the mower to push the grass down. The color plates show many examples of this art form, which will intrigue you. If you are like me, you expected to see only geometric shapes using straight lines. Instead, you find gentle waves and delicate crossing patterns of all kinds.

Having worked in my father's gardening business when I was a youngster, I wish I had known about establishing these patterns. It certainly would have helped to relieve the boredom of cutting the same yards in one of three patterns time after time.

The directions are very helpful for how to deal with special problems, like temporary damage, making a mistake in the pattern, and repeating a pattern (you are encouraged to photograph your work to learn from what you have done).

Picture Perfect also has a long list of resources you can access, especially from the Internet.

Although the quality of the design and the printing are not as high as the contents deserve, the material is strong enough to carry the result to five star level. One does hope, however, that a future printing will create a version more like an art book to better feature the examples.

After you finish becoming an expert on turf design, I suggest that you think about where else you can exercise your creativity in your yard. Have you considered sculpting shrubs like they do in the Disney theme parks? How about designing a sculpture garden? Do you have a Zen garden area yet?

Create a better balance between the views in your yard and the thoughts in your mind. Let the reverbrations of inspiration take you to new heights of thought and harmony!

WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK!
One of the first things I notice about people's homes is the way the lawn is cut. Some might say, "get a life," but to me the landscape design and lawn say a lot. From a psychological point of view, it says something about the people who live there, too! We have all seen lawns cut straight and perfect, every blade of grass precise, row after row - not much creativity there. We have also seen lawns cut haphazardly in every conceivable direction and length, a clump here and a clump there, as if the ride-on mower and its near-sighted rider short-circuited, jumped the fence and rode off into the sunset!

If you know anyone who fits that description, buy them this astonishing book. It is amazing what can be created with a little patience, know-how and practice. Some designs are quite simple, others a little more complex, but they are very eye-catching. The book would be ideal for any yard or community with large greenspace. The larger the area, the more dramatic the design becomes. If you are zipping around on your trusty mower at home, just make sure you move the dog....before he has the most stylish haircut of the year!

Must-have if you love your lawn!
Picture Perfect is the perfect book for anyone who loves their yard! It not only gives you simple advice to maintain your lawn, landscape, or athletic field in perfect condition, but it provides easy step-by-step instructions, with amazing color photographs, on how to mow eye-catching patterns that will leave your neighbors and colleagues scratching their heads asking "how'd they do that". Mellor, Director of Grounds for the Boston Red Sox has become famous for his work, and has been featured on CBS, NBC, Fox Sports, and articles on his work have been published in several major newspapers inculding the Boston Herald, New York Times and Washington Post.

Picture Perfect will show you how to mow the classic "checkerboard" and also arches, circles, diamonds and more. It will also show you the secret techniques of the pros for more advanced pattern-making -- using rollers and brushes.

According to Bob Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers Broadcaster: "Some artists use a canvas to create a work of art. David Mellor uses a baseball field. His patterns are so precise and imaginative, I call him the Rembrandt of groundskeeping. He's a cut above the rest"

From the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig: "I had the privilege of working with David Mellor for many years and he is one of the most resourceful and creative people in his field. His work is extraordinary and he is one of the finest young men I know"

A Great Reference book.
After reading this book I found it to a great reference for the golf courses other sports fields I work with and recommend this to anyone interested in building and maintaining a field for the best playing conditions. ... Read more