"Cereus-validus....." wrote in message
. com...
Crockett's book was a useless piece of coffee table anecdotal fluff
catering to dummies when it came out. It was never to be take as gospel.
It certainly isn't even a horticultural reference book either.

I'm looking at the book, and I can't see any evidence that it claimed to be
a horticultural reference book. Hortus Third - that's another story.

Hortus Third was a real snafu. L.H. Bailey must have been spinning in his
grave.

It was mostly compiled by grad students (not the experts in most of the
various plant groups) who didn't even bother to do the horticultural or
botanical research necessary and it was completely out-of-date when it was
published. It was trashed by reviewers from everyone from orchid growers to
rose growers. It has far too many mistakes to be taken seriously.

The treatment for succulent plants is very inconsistent and completely
useless. Many of the plant names claimed not to be of horticultural value
were actually validly published and listed in Index Kewensis and/or Index
Londonensis.

The treatment for Plectranthus (which should have included the obsolete
genus Coleus as a synonym) was a shameful atrocity. If they had bothered to
look, they would have found the widely grown African, Asian and Australian
species had been completely revised several years earlier and the literature
was sitting right there the whole time in the Cornell library completely
ignored.

It is one overly expensive paperweight!!!!

It only goes to show that in actual practice horticulture is little more
than botany's idiot stepchild!!!


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Cereus-validus....." wrote in message
. com...
Crockett's book was a useless piece of coffee table anecdotal fluff
catering to dummies when it came out. It was never to be take as gospel.
It certainly isn't even a horticultural reference book either.

I'm looking at the book, and I can't see any evidence that it claimed to
be a horticultural reference book. Hortus Third - that's another story.

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 06:28:17 GMT, "Cereus-validus....."
wrote:

It is one overly expensive paperweight!!!!

Thank You!!!! I bought the da** thing and it was useless when I
tried to look up any useful information. Thanks to hurricane Ivan and
you I no longer need to feel guilty for being a dummy.

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 06:28:17 GMT, "Cereus-validus....."
wrote:

It is one overly expensive paperweight!!!!
Hard on the butt too!