Cumbria is a very varied county with coastal plains, river valleys, the Pennine edge and the Lakeland fells. It has a strong sense of cohesion and common ground. Farming in the county has improved over the centuries, and yet this is a subject curiously under-discussed in the existing literature. In this book, Dr David Johnson uses documentary and contemporary sources to argue that there has been visible improvement in Cumbria's farming. Starting with a discussion of the region's geology, topography, climate and soils, he gives a chronological account of the development of farming in the region, ending with a discussion of the ways in which farming in Cumbria has improved over time. This book will appeal to agricultural historians, as well as those interested in rural life, local residents and tourists.

This book concentrates on the group of plants showing the steepest decline among British flora over the past 25 years - plants that grow among the crops. Easy-to-use format is designed to enable people to take it into the field and to identify these species whether they are a beginner or an expert. The text covers the history of - and includes practical recommendations for managing - the places where these plants still occur 100 plant profiles include key identification features, flowering and germination times, and differences between similar species. Color distribution maps show where these plants have been seen in the past 25 years, while the accompanying text indicates their current location.

A reissue of Beekeeping (2007). A practical and inspirational guide to keeping bees and apiaries in both rural and urban areas. It's no shock that the beekeeping trend is steadily on the rise. These fascinating and beautiful insects can be kept anywhere, whether your garden is a large country plot or an urban rooftop terrace. What's more, there's no sting in this tale: bees are a source of delight for honey lovers, hay-fever sufferers and gardeners alike. This charming and practical guide is intended for both the beginner and experienced beekeeper. It covers everything from setting up hives and maximising bees in the garden, to optimum honey production and a fascinating troubleshooting section. With charming illustrations throughout, you will find all you need to catch the bee buzz in this wonderful book.

The basic concept of this book is to examine the use of innovative methods augmenting traditional plant breeding towards the development of new crop varieties under different environmental conditions to achieve sustainable food production. This book consists of two volumes: Volume 1 subtitled Breeding, Biotechnology and Molecular Tools and Volume 2 subtitled Agronomic, Abiotic and Biotic Stress Traits. This is Volume 1 which consists of 21 chapters covering domestication and germplasm utilization, conventional breeding techniques and the role of biotechnology. In addition to various biotechnological applications in plant breeding, it includes functional genomics, mutations and methods of detection, and molecular markers. In vitro techniques and their applications in plant breeding are discussed with an emphasis on embryo rescue, somatic cell hybridization and somaclonal variation. Other chapters cover haploid breeding, transgenics, cryogenics and bioinformatics.

The "Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology" is a comprehensive, two-volume reference guide to the properties, effects, and regulation of pesticides that provides the latest and most complete information to researchers investigating the environmental, agricultural, veterinary, and human-health impacts of pesticide use. Written by international experts from academia, government, and the private sector, the "Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology" is an in-depth examination of critical issues related to the need for, use of, and nature of chemicals used in modern pest management. This updated 3e carries on the book s tradition of serving as the definitive reference on pesticide toxicology and recognizes the seminal contribution of Wayland J. Hayes, Jr., co-Editor of the first edition.
Feature: Presents a comprehensive look at all aspects of pesticide toxicology in one reference work.
Benefit: Saves researchers time in quickly accessing the very latest definitive details on toxicity of specific pesticides as opposed to searching through thousands of journal articles.

Feature: Clear exposition of hazard identification and dose response relationships in each chapter featuring pesticide agents and actions
Benefit: Connects the experimental laboratory results to real-life applications in human health, animal health and the environment.

Feature: All major classes of pesticide considered.
Benefit: Provides relevance to a wider variety of researchers who are conducting comparative work in pesticides or their health impacts.

Feature: Different routes of exposure critically evaluated.
Benefit: Connects the loop between exposure and harmful affects to those who are researching the affects of pesticides on humans or wildlife.
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The humid highlands in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are characterized by high population densities and require intensification. The Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) has set up a research for development platform in various mandate areas in DR Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda, aiming to identify improved production, market, and nutrition options and facilitating the access for development partners to these options. This platform is supported by capacity building, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and monitoring and evaluation efforts. The conference, facilitated by CIALCA, aimed to (i) take stock of the state-of the art in agricultural intensification in the highlands of SSA and (ii) chart the way forward for agricultural research for development in the humid highlands of SSA, and more specifically in the recently launched Humidtropics Consortium Research Programme, through keynote, oral and poster presentations, and strategic panel discussions.

The European Garden Flora is the definitive manual for the accurate identification of cultivated ornamental flowering plants. Designed to meet the highest scientific standards, the vocabulary has nevertheless been kept as uncomplicated as possible so that the work is fully accessible to the informed gardener as well as to the professional botanist. This new edition has been thoroughly reorganised and revised, bringing it into line with modern taxonomic knowledge. Although European in name, the Flora covers plants cultivated in most areas of the United States and Canada as well as in non-tropical parts of Asia and Australasia. Volume 4 contains accounts of 82 families, mostly rather small, but including the Primulaceae (with Primula as its largest genus) and Ericaceae (with Rhododendron, the largest genus in the Flora).

"This book," the author tells us in his preface, "is intended to be a picture of life on a farm in Southern Ohio in the 1930s." RFD is a faithful portrait of farm life as thousands of men and women experienced it from one end of the country to the other and from pioneering times to the present century. Originally published in 1938 to enthusiastic reviews and commercial success, RFD is the story of one couple's trials with leaving the comforts of city life for a chance to get back to the land. Charles Allen Smart was a New York novelist and prep-school teacher when he inherited his aunt's farm in Chillicothe, Ohio. He and his wife moved into a rustic stone farmhouse, determined to combine their lives as working farmers with their active intellectual life, love of art, and political progressivism. They upset some in their small town by staging parts of Clifford Odets's play Waiting for Lefty, but they won respect for their hard work and honest dealings. Smart conveys the feel of their lives at a time when living in the country was a meaningful distinction in America. He also writes movingly of his concerns regarding America's materialism, the rise of industrial agriculture, burgeoning chain stores, and frayed communities. Told with sensitivity, gusto, and a fierce honesty, RFD became a classic because embedded in its charms as a first-rate farm memoir is the universal story of one couple's earnest, joyful attempt to live meaningful lives. Ohio University Press is especially pleased to reissue this midwestern classic with a new foreword by noted farm writer Gene Logsdon.

In Britain and Ireland there are about ten times more species of solitary bee than bumblebee and honeybee combined, yet the solitary bees tend to be ignored and we know much less about them. They are a fascinating, attractive and diverse group that can be found easily in a wide range of habitats, both urban and rural, and they are important as pollinators. Solitary bees provides an introduction to the natural history, ecology and conservation of solitary bees, together with an easy-to-use key to genera. Chapters cover: Diversity and recognition; Bee lives; Cuckoos in the nest; Bees and flowers; The conservation of solitary bees; Approaches to practical work; Keys to the genera of bees of the British Isles - Females and Males; and References and further reading.

Presents botanical studies by sixty gold medal winning artists, from the Lindley Collections at the Royal Horticultural Society, the country's leading gardening charity. A historical essay explores the long-standing relationship between artists and the RHS. Introduces each medallist with a short biography and discussion of their winning composition. Features a diverse range of artists from across the globe. Botanical Illustration: a genre of art that endeavours faithfully to depict and represent the form, colour and detail of a plant. Abiding by this definition, the RHS Lindley Library has secured approximately 30,000 splendid illustrations of buds, fruit, flowers and leaves since they first started commissioning artists in 1806. RHS Botanical Illustration - Gold Medal Winners represents a cross-section of recent gold medallists from around the world. The RHS only award their gold medal to the most outstanding exhibitions, encouraging the international artistic community to perform to the highest standard. This gold medal is a highly-coveted testament to an artist's abilities, and the illustrations gathered in these pages demonstrate great attention to detail, masterful colour work and outstanding technical skill. Insightful commentary on the artists' creative process accompanies each picture. The perfect book for the lover of horticulture, as well as an excellent reference both for botanists and aspiring artists, this collection also includes an introductory essay that delves into the history of the RHS.

When 170 000 black farmers occupied 4 000 white farms in Zimbabwe in 2000, it caused world-wide shockwaves. A decade later, Zimbabwe Takes Back Its Land finds that the new farmers are doing relatively well, improving their lives and becoming increasingly productive, especially since the US dollar became the local currency. While not minimising the depredations of the Mugabe government, and accepting that many of President Mugabe's supporters benefited from the ruler's largesse, the book counters the dominant media narratives of oppression and economic stagnation in Zimbabwe. The book is based on a detailed study of what is actually happening on the ground, drawing on the authors' own fieldwork and extensive other research. Hanlon, Manjengwa, and Smart show how, despite political violence and mind-boggling hyperinflation, "ordinary" Zimbabweans took charge of their destinies in creative and unacknowledged ways. This raises important questions for the upcoming elections, and also presents new issues for the international community, because United States and European Union sanctions are not just against a corrupt and dictatorial elite, but also against 170 000 ordinary farmers who now use more of the land than the white farmers they displaced and are already producing nearly as much as those white farmers. With stories and pictures, real farmers tell of their own experiences of setting up the farms and building up production. Fanuel Mutandiro tells how he built up his farm and the 70 trips to Mbare Market in Harare with a tractor and trailer full of tomatoes before he could afford a truck. Esther Makwara shows off her maize field with 8 tonnes per hectare - better than nearly all white farmers. And Mrs Chibanda shows off with pride her new tobacco barn where she cures the tobacco from her 1.5 hectare. But these stories are backed up by data - from the authors' own fieldwork and extensive other research.

The long-awaited second edition of this classic textbook expands on the first edition to include advances made in the last four decades, bringing the topic completely up to date. The book addresses critical issues such as whether humanity can feed itself, and whether it can do so in environmentally sound and sustainable ways. Written from agronomic, environmental, and ecological standpoints, the textbook employs a multidisciplinary approach, including policymaking and plant genetic improvements, as well as ecosystem services, climate change, biodiversity, sustainability and resilience. New chapters in this second edition focus on organic carbon in soil, soil biology, soils in relation to livestock production and forestry, and agroforestry. The new edition will again be the go-to textbook for courses on tropical soils, and a reference textbook for soil and agricultural scientists and development professionals working in the tropics.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of pedology in Ireland. It describes the main soil types of the country, their functions, ecological use, and the conditions to which they were subjected associated with management over time. In addition, it presents a complete set of data, pictures and maps, including benchmark profiles. Factors involved in soil formation are also discussed, making use of new, unpublished data and elaborations. The book was produced with the support and sponsorship of Teagasc, The Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland and the Irish Environmental Protection Agency.

The European Garden Flora is the definitive manual for the accurate identification of cultivated ornamental flowering plants. Designed to meet the highest scientific standards, the vocabulary has nevertheless been kept as uncomplicated as possible so that the work is fully accessible to the informed gardener as well as to the professional botanist. This new edition has been thoroughly reorganised and revised, bringing it into line with modern taxonomic knowledge. Although European in name, the Flora covers plants cultivated in most areas of the United States and Canada as well as in non-tropical parts of Asia and Australasia. Volume 3 contains accounts of 47 families, including those formerly included in the Leguminosae (Mimosaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Fabaceae) as well as the large and important Rosaceae. Also included are those families formerly covered by the name Saxifragaceae (Saxifragaceae in the strict sense, Penthoraceae, Grossulariaceae, Parnassiaceae, Hydrangeaceae and Escalloniaceae).

Want to eat well, reduce food and packaging waste and save some money? Home Bird is here to help, going back to basics with seasonal, bold and wholesome recipes that are not only better for the environment but also your well-being and budget. Influenced by nostalgic meals and cooking for loved ones, Megan Davies has written this book for the eco-minded home cook. She includes invaluable tips on how to make ingredients stretch; from potato peel crisps to pickled cucumber and beetroot. Megan also features ways to turn leftovers into a new meal, such as a Roasted Fennel, Chive and Dill Pasta Bake or Frittata, both from a leftover Raw Fennel, Chive and Dill Salad. Recipes include multi-tasking brunch or late-night dishes such as Bircher Pancakes or Sweet Potato Baked Eggs. Suppers for Sharing that can be scaled up to feed a crowd or down for a more intimate occasion range from Roasted Squash with Almonds and Tarragon to the best Roast Chicken recipe with Pan Pastry Croutons (plus, of course, ways to use up any uneaten chicken!). From On the Side accompaniments and stunning Sweet Things such as Pot Luck Tarte Tatin this collection of delicious and ingenious recipes will have all the inspiration you need to run a more sustainable home kitchen, reduce your carbon footprint and make the sort of small changes at home that can make a big difference to our world.

The European Garden Flora is the definitive manual for the accurate identification of cultivated ornamental flowering plants. Designed to meet the highest scientific standards, the vocabulary has nevertheless been kept as uncomplicated as possible so that the work is fully accessible to the informed gardener as well as to the professional botanist. This new edition has been thoroughly reorganised and revised, bringing it into line with modern taxonomic knowledge. Although European in name, the Flora covers plants cultivated in most areas of the United States and Canada as well as in non-tropical parts of Asia and Australasia. Volume 2 contains accounts of the first 71 families of Dicotyledons, including the Aizoaceae and Cactaceae (large and important families of succulents), as well as many tree families (Juglandaceae, Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Ulmaceae) and popular herbaceous plants (Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae, Cruciferae).

This book introduces readers to nearly 600 common weeds. In addition to essential information, each chapter includes photos for a specific type of weed to show its morphology in different growth periods, such as seedling, root, flower, fruit, and mature plant. The book also discusses control measures, including agricultural, chemical, physical, biological, and comprehensive methods. The Volume 3 mainly focuses on 252 Species of Dicotyledonous and Monocotyledonous Weeds along with 2 Species of Liverworts and Mosses. With the development of society and economics, weeds have become a recurring problem. In particular, the exotic, invasive, and quarantine weeds have spread dramatically and rapidly. On the other hand, many people, even those who are engaged in weed control, do not (or cannot) distinguish between weeds. Thus there is significant demand for illustrations of weed morphologies, as well as information on their control measures. This book offers a valuable, practical guide for all those working in the fields of crop cultivation, plant protection and quarantine management.

This book explores the sustainability aspect of organic and conventional farming systems, which is commonly categorized into three sub-aspects: social, environmental and economic. The social structure of a given area, organic friendly technologies, soil properties, crop diversification and income are the elements chosen for comparison, and are analyzed using descriptive and statistical methods. In addition, the book assesses the current status of the local organic market in Nepal and field experiments involving the use of various organic means to achieve better production for selected vegetables. Determining the benefits and/or challenges of organic and conventional farming is important to determining the most viable type of farming in the long term, but can be greatly impacted by a given area's specific characteristics (social, environmental, political, etc.), which is why this study focuses on a specific location: the Chitwan district of Nepal, where group conversion to organic farming has existed alongside conventional farming for years. This book offers a useful guide for both practitioners and academic researchers who are interested in organic farming and food security, particularly in developing countries.

This Encyclopedia offers a definitive source on issues pertaining to the full range of topics in the important new area of food and agricultural ethics. It includes summaries of historical approaches, current scholarship, social movements, and new trends from the standpoint of the ethical notions that have shaped them. It combines detailed analyses of specific topics such as the role of antibiotics in animal production, the Green Revolution, and alternative methods of organic farming, with longer entries that summarize general areas of scholarship and explore ways that they are related. Renewed debate, discussion and inquiry into food and agricultural topics have become a hallmark of the turn toward more sustainable policies and lifestyles in the 21st century. Attention has turned to the goals and ethical rationale behind production, distribution and consumption of food, as well as to non-food uses of cultivated biomass and the products of animal husbandry. These wide-ranging debates encompass questions in human nutrition, animal rights and the environmental impacts of aquaculture and agricultural production. Each of these and related topics is both technically complex and involves an - often implicit - ethical dimension. Other topics include methods for integrating ethics into scientific and technical research programs or development projects, the role of intensive agriculture and biotechnology in addressing persistent world hunger and the role of crops, forests and engineered organisms in making a transition to renewable, carbon-neutral sources of energy. The Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics proves an indispensible reference point for future research and writing on topics in agriculture and food ethics for decades to come.

Essential reading for all studying horticulture and keen gardeners. This clear introduction to the principles underlying the practical applications of horticulture opens up the excitement of growing plants and garden development without readers wading through complex information. Written by a team of highly motivated and experienced horticultural tutors, the text supports the newly restructured RHS Level 2 qualifications with related Level 3 topics in boxes and signposting to Level 4 topics, together with other horticultural qualifications at these levels. Full colour images tied closely to the text and practical case study boxes inspire readers by making topics relevant to their own horticultural experiences. A comprehensive glossary helps build confidence in the use of classical horticulture language as well as new developing terms, and end-of-chapter questions encourage readers to apply what they have learnt. Extensive online supporting material includes mind maps showing the relationship of topics and aiding students in revision.

We don't need to poison the earth in order to grow better food, and what is harmful to the environment when improperly disposed of often can be turned back to the soil in a beneficial way through composting - if you know how. Here's how. Malcolm Beck's Garden-Ville is one of the largest commercial composting operations in the country. He shares his insight into the processes of decay that can transform everything from lawn trimmings to sewer sludge into life-giving earth. Coupled with Beck's insight into nature and practical advice are remarks from Charles Walters, author, founder of Acres U.S.A.

'A vital, thorough and accessible history that everyone who cares about the past or the future should read.' Rosamund Young, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Secret Life of Cows ______________________________________ The story of the relationship between humankind and cattle, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Counting Sheep. To tell the story of the relationship between humankind and cattle is to tell the story of civilisation itself. Since the beginning, cattle have tilled our soils, borne our burdens, fed and clothed us and been our loyal and uncomplaining servants in the work of taming the wilderness and wresting a living from the land. There has never been a time when we have not depended on cattle. As human societies have migrated from the country to the city, the things they have needed from their cattle may have changed, but the fundamental human dependence remains. Blending personal experience, recollection, interviews with farmers, butchers and cattle breeders and studding the narrative with little-known nuggets of technical detail, Philip Walling entertainingly reveals the central importance of cattle to all our lives.