[.ca] Essential Soil Science: A Clear and Concise Introduction ... (ISBN 0632048859)

An outstanding reference:
Are you concerned about the amount of damage to your hedges, your roses, your flowers, your trees and other plants? Have you automatically reached for your organic or chemical pesticides, herbacides, fertilizers, and anything else to use to salvage what is left of your plants? Do you advise others on their problems with plants? In solving these problems, does your solution address the root cause or merely the symptoms? In seven chapters of 185 pages, the authors take the reader from the question "What are soils made from?" to a thorough discussion of "soil contamination and erosion." The topic of each chapter and sub-chapter is presented in question form: "How does water act in the soil?" "What is soil acidity?" and the questions are answered: "Instinctively we all know what is meant when we say something is acidic--we automatically think about lemon juice or vinegar..." The authors use a substantial number of charts, graphs, drawings, and black and white pictures to achieve their stated purpose: "Every attempt has been made to assume no previous scientific knowledge, to insure new concepts are explained simply, often using examples of everyday items, and anything considered too detailed for the average undergradate course has been ruthlessly cut from the text." Relying on my recollection of various undergraduate college survey or introduction courses to biology, botony, chemistry, and my experiences of growing roses, flowers, shrubs and vegetables, I gained a basic understanding of the science of soils, and the impact errors in soil management have on plants. Too many times I have attempted to treat the symptoms of sick plants and not the root causes: "Chapter 6: How can we optimize the physical condition of the soil for plant growth?" "What can we do to remediage a polluted site?" When the authors conclude their presentation on page 185, we are presented five pages of other references including numerous internet web pages more than seven pages of index. The cost of the book is a lot, and in my opinion, worth every cent!