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  • From: Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Book suggestions
  • Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2005 21:56:56 -0600

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







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