A week or so ago, I opined that folks should stay away from tree
identification books that deal with trees of the world because
they're just too incomplete and deal only with the trees most of
us know anyway.

In my all-too-often visit to one of our local bookstores today,
however, I stumbled across a couple of worldwide tree books that
cause me to amend that to say "stay away from MOST worldwide tree
identification books."

The first (and best) is one I already have -- kinda. It is the
"Botanica's Trees and Shrubs" Laurel Glen pub. $19.95. I say
"kinda" because I have the "Botanica Encyclopedia" which contains
the full text of the tree book and a LOT more (something like
9,000 plants more). The publishers have lifted all info on trees
and shrubs from the encyclopedia and put it in this thick,
handbook-size (except for thickness) book.

Probably, if the tree and shrub book had come out first, I would
have gotten it and not the massive encyclopedia. But I get a lot
of use out of the encyclopedia, so I'm not complaining. Anyway,
the tree and shrub book is very though and very complete. It
includes trees and shrubs no one has heard of, plus all of those
you have heard of and many cultivars of them, too. While taking
the trees and shrubs from the big book was purely a money-making
ploy on the part of the publishers, it's very worthwhile to have
this book.

The other tree book is "Smithsonian Handbooks: Trees" $20 from DK
Publishers. This one is not as complete (but there are a lot of
species from everywhere) and does not cover shrubs like azaleas
and camellias, blueberries, etc. that the other one (above) does,
but it's worth having. I've put it on my list for "someday."

I found a third book -- NOT a tree book -- that is very useful:
"Insect, Disease and Weed ID Guide: Find-It-Fast Organic
Solutions for Your Garden" Rodale pub. $24.95. This too is on my
"someday list" though I have all the
insect-disease/good-bug/bad-bug books I can use already. If you
don't have the Ortho, Sunset or Southern Living Garden Problem
Solver books, this one is an excellent choice.

Still on publishing news, I also looked over Issue #84 of Bonsai
Today and found it to be a decided mixed bag. Some wonderful
new, avert garde pots from the Takagi contest any one of which
I'd love to have, several marvelous Ernie Kuo junipers, and a
4-part, don't-try-this-at-home series of tree "fixups" that only
someone with more time than sense would ever attempt (and all [or
most] of which I bet died within 4-5 years of the massive surgery
involved). I think there was another part that I liked, but
apparently not enough to remember what it was, ;-) or it came
after the fixups and I was too flabbergasted to remember. This
was another of the (lately) growing number of new Bonsai Today
issues that I left on the newsstand. The magazine ain't what it
usta be. :-(IMHO, of course)

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

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From Jim Lewis:

The first (and best) is one I already have -- kinda. It is
the
"Botanica's Trees and Shrubs" Laurel Glen pub. $19.95. I
say
"kinda" because I have the "Botanica Encyclopedia" which
contains
the full text of the tree book and a LOT more (something
like
9,000 plants more). The publishers have lifted all info on
trees
and shrubs from the encyclopedia and put it in this thick,
handbook-size (except for thickness) book.

Jim,
I have had the Laurel Glen for at least 6 months and think
it is the best book to have at hand, the pictures are an
ample amount and the text covers the basics well for me. I
need another - one for the house, one to keep in the car.
And, can be purchased at the Costco stores for about 1/3 less
than the 19.95 if you use that chain to shop in. It has a
little over 1000 pages, 2000 plants, the total picked from the
Encyclopedia.

Lynn

Lynn Boyd, Oregon, USA

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From Jim Lewis:

The first (and best) is one I already have -- kinda. It is
the
"Botanica's Trees and Shrubs" Laurel Glen pub. $19.95. I
say
"kinda" because I have the "Botanica Encyclopedia" which
contains
the full text of the tree book and a LOT more (something
like
9,000 plants more). The publishers have lifted all info on
trees
and shrubs from the encyclopedia and put it in this thick,
handbook-size (except for thickness) book.

Jim,
I have had the Laurel Glen for at least 6 months and think
it is the best book to have at hand, the pictures are an
ample amount and the text covers the basics well for me. I
need another - one for the house, one to keep in the car.
And, can be purchased at the Costco stores for about 1/3 less
than the 19.95 if you use that chain to shop in. It has a
little over 1000 pages, 2000 plants, the total picked from the
Encyclopedia.

Lynn


It's good, but _I_ think the photos are the problem. They're
either not detailed enough (distant shot of a tree that could be
most anything) or they're so detailed as to be a jumble. I
prefer books with diagrammatic drawings, in any event. It's also
arranged alphabetically -- which means you've gotta pretty much
know what it is in order to find it. A good handbook has trees
with similar characteristics listed together so you can compare
leaf shapes, etc.

People tend, using photos, to want their tree to look EXACTLY
like the photo. That never happens. The drawings can more
readily highlight the diagnostic features that let you identify
the plant -- whether it's leaves, bundle scars, bark, or buds.
THEN you can go to a book with photos.

But yes, it's certainly worth having. Do you also have the
encyclopedia???

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

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Jim,

I certainly agree the Botanica photos are lacking where
we would like to have detailed description. Simon Schuster's
handy little Tree book does a little better on that score,
then there is Simon Schuster's Guide to Bonsai, but the last
two have so few trees - Tree book has 150, I think, and the
Bonsai book probably less, yet. I find all three of these
indispensable.

My use for Botanica is its sheer Number of trees and
shrubs - and its supply of clues on driving trips or in a big
nurseries where I usually find help very spare. The inclusive
shrub part has been useful. Here we have the early stages of
the huge Oregon Garden project in progress now. It is great
to visit and wander, or the music and entertainment
presentations are a great treat in the surroundings and I can
find most anything I am puzzled about listed in the Botanica.
No - I do not have the encyclopedia but it is in the
library -
about a five block walk away from me is all.
The biggest problem I have with books is - always too
many in the car. Add to the tree books a couple on rocks and
minerals.
But, it is one book better now than when I was fishing.

Lynn

Lynn Boyd, Oregon, USA

It's good, but _I_ think the photos are the problem.
They're
either not detailed enough (distant shot of a tree that
could be
most anything) or they're so detailed as to be a jumble. I
prefer books with diagrammatic drawings, in any event. It's
also
arranged alphabetically -- which means you've gotta pretty
much
know what it is in order to find it. A good handbook has
trees
with similar characteristics listed together so you can
compare
leaf shapes, etc.

People tend, using photos, to want their tree to look
EXACTLY
like the photo. That never happens. The drawings can more
readily highlight the diagnostic features that let you
identify
the plant -- whether it's leaves, bundle scars, bark, or
buds.
THEN you can go to a book with photos.

But yes, it's certainly worth having. Do you also have the
encyclopedia???

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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Gardenworks++++

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******************
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http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail
+++++


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