I need to obtain Dirr's Manual of Woody... I'm wondering where in the past a
substantial change in the information therein woud preclude its usefullness,
i.e., would a copy from 1993 be at all useful as compared to more recent
printings?

Obviously, older editions are less expensive, so I'm hoping to save a few
dollars (starving student mode yet again in my life), but not at the cost of
pertinent info.

David J. Bockman, Fairfax, VA (USDA Hardiness Zone 7)
Bunabayashi Bonsai On The World Wide Web: http://www.bunabayashi.com
email:

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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I need to obtain Dirr's Manual of Woody... I'm wondering where
in the past a
substantial change in the information therein woud preclude its
usefullness,
i.e., would a copy from 1993 be at all useful as compared to
more recent
printings?


The current edition is the 5th ($50). (It is available on CD-Rom
for $80 .)

I have the 4th edition and see no appreciable difference. A few
new cultivars of popular landscape plants seem to be what's new.

At the Extension Office here we use the 3rd edition and here too,
except for a few fewer azalea, maple, holly, etc. cultivars and
varieties it is essentially the same. Culture info is _usually_
identical for the various cultivars, so except for ID purposes
(and cultivars aren't described in TOO much detail) the
difference should be immaterial.

You can get SOME of it _real_ cheap at
http://www.nobleplants.com/index.htm (and also purchase his books
and CDs there). Tree/shrub info is scattered through new plants,
plant list and class notes areas. This is very incomplete,
though. Just a sample, really.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

At 09:16 AM 4/25/03 -0400, David J. Bockman wrote:
I need to obtain Dirr's Manual of Woody... I'm wondering where in the past a
substantial change in the information therein woud preclude its usefullness,
i.e., would a copy from 1993 be at all useful as compared to more recent
printings?

Obviously, older editions are less expensive, so I'm hoping to save a few
dollars (starving student mode yet again in my life), but not at the cost of
pertinent info.

David

I am still using a 1987 edition and find it as helpful as ever. Where it is
going to fall behind is in the information for tissue culture
(micropropagation), since I am sure there have been great advances since
then. For cuttings and seed production, the information is still good,
however, the seed information was never great in the first place. For seed,
you really need Norman Deno's books. Grafting and cutting propagation
information from the original book is probably very little changed and is
the best part of the book in my opinion.


Brent in Northern California
Evergreen Gardenworks USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 14

http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Thanks Jim, very good info-- I had forgotten about Dirr's website.....

David J. Bockman, Fairfax, VA (USDA Hardiness Zone 7)
Bunabayashi Bonsai On The World Wide Web: http://www.bunabayashi.com
email:


-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ]On Behalf
Of Jim Lewis
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 9:46 AM
To:
Subject: [IBC] Dirr, Michael A on the cheap


I need to obtain Dirr's Manual of Woody... I'm wondering where
in the past a
substantial change in the information therein woud preclude its
usefullness,
i.e., would a copy from 1993 be at all useful as compared to
more recent
printings?


The current edition is the 5th ($50). (It is available on CD-Rom
for $80 .)

I have the 4th edition and see no appreciable difference. A few
new cultivars of popular landscape plants seem to be what's new.

At the Extension Office here we use the 3rd edition and here too,
except for a few fewer azalea, maple, holly, etc. cultivars and
varieties it is essentially the same. Culture info is _usually_
identical for the various cultivars, so except for ID purposes
(and cultivars aren't described in TOO much detail) the
difference should be immaterial.

You can get SOME of it _real_ cheap at
http://www.nobleplants.com/index.htm (and also purchase his books
and CDs there). Tree/shrub info is scattered through new plants,
plant list and class notes areas. This is very incomplete,
though. Just a sample, really.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++