North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>]

Hi SportsFans,
Besides a DVD of the Blues Brothers movie, the other present of note I got 
for 
Christmas is a really great book:
Trees of the Northern United States and Canada by John Laird Farrar. Probably 
the 
best informative reference/ID book on trees from Maine to Alaska, 
Pennsylvania to 
the Hudson Bay, also common non-natives. The best color photos and drawings 
EVER in 
such a book, 502 pages, 10 x 6 inches or so, hardbound, indispensible. Here's 
an 
example of how it has everything: It has a section in the back telling you 
all 
about (in brief live's work, study, nationality, adventures) the individuals 
whose 
names are attached after the especial epithet (like Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex 
P&C 
Laws), ie Botanical Authors the first folks to have described a certain tree. 
Then 
a section after that defining every latin/greek/whatever term used in the 
Tree 
binomes. Like banksiana = after Sir Joseph Banks (1739-1823), president of 
the 
Royal Society of London. Runs $50 or so bucks. You'll never lend it out 
except when 
you are old and have a favorite grandkid and you leave it to them. You'll 
finally 
start lending out those other woody ID books, knowing this one is safe and 
sound. 
Spouses may need their own. 

I was also lucky enough to peruse thoroughly the following worthwhile 
purchase, 
about $35: 
The Pruning of Trees, Shrubs, and Conifers, 2nd edition, by George E. Brown, 
revised by Tony Kirkham.
This book is written originally and revised by the past and present head 
arborists 
at the Kew Botanic Gardens. Mr. Brown passed on, and Mr. Kirkham added on (I 
was 
unclear whether Mr. Brown collaborated in its early stages). Great work about 
pruning, starting from nursery management/training into young tree care into 
adult 
years maintenance. The second half of the book is a Genus breakdown of care, 
culture, significant attributes relating to arboriculture of many woody 
plants in 
common usage or in Kew's collection. Includes many North American natives and 
lots 
we all are familiar with. One of the few modern books that may lead to trees 
you 
plant in your yard living 100 years and becoming "specimens". Wished it on 
all my 
tree enemies and friends. Full of Alex Shigo tree practices plus more. Well 
written 
and actually a good read, even "light" and "easy" to enjoy, but not a 
mickey-mouse 
affair. 

Hope you like them as much as I did. I wish you all lived closer so we could 
ooh 
and aaah together! Books about Trees that are worth the destruction of the 
trees 
for the paper are rare.
Heron Breen
zone 4, Maine