Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers [Paperback]

I give it five stars. This book, which contains a variety of information from a wide number of sources, is not a "how-to" book. Its information is mostly in table form, so the book's main use is as a reference. Some chapters, such as the one on water and irrigation, contain information I've never seen anywhere else, except in technical publications. The chapter contains line illustrations and descriptions that are accessible to the layman. The chapter on vegetable pests also contains (black and white) line illustrations of the insects. Rather than try to list all the information this book contains, I list the table of contents:

Preface

Part 1: Vegetables and the Vegetable Industry

Botanical Names of Vegetables

Names of Vegetables in Nine Languages

Vegetable Production Statistics

Consumption of Vegetables

Nutritional Composition of Vegetables

Selection of Vegetable Varieties

Part 2: Plant Growing and Greenhouse Vegetable Production

Transplant Production

Plant Growing Containers

Seeds and Seeding

Temperature and Time Requirements

Plant Growing Mixes

Soil Sterilization

Fertilizing Transplants

Plant Growing Problems

Hardening Transplants

Crop Production

Cultural Management

Carbon Dioxide Enrichment

Soilless Culture

Nutrient Solutions

Tissue Composition

Part 3: Field Planting

Temperatures for Vegetables

Scheduling Successive Plantings

Time Required for Seedling Emergence

Seed Requirements

Planting Rates for Large Seeds

Spacing of Vegetables

Precision Seeding

Seed Priming

Vegetative Propagation

Polyethylene Mulches

Row Covers

Windbreaks

Part 4: Soils and Fertilizers

Organic Matter

Soil-Improving Crops

Manures

Soil Texture

Soil Reaction

Salinity

Fertilizers

Fertilizer Conversion Factors

Nutrient Deficiencies

Micronutrients

Fertilizer Distributors

Part 5: Water and Irrigation

Water and Irrigation

Rooting of Vegetables

Soil Moisture

Surface Irrigation

Overhead irrigation

Drip or Trickle Irrigation

Water Quality

Part 6: Vegetable Pests and Problems

Air Pollution

Integrated Pest Management

Pesticide-Use Precautions

Equipment and Application

Nematodes

Diseases

Insects

Wildlife Control

Herbicides

Equipment and Application

Weed-Control Practices

Effectiveness and Longevity of Herbicides

Part 8: Harvesting and Storage

Predicting Harvest Dates and Yields

Cooling Vegetables

Storage Conditions

Chilling and Ethylene Injury

Vegetable Quality

U.S. Standards for Vegetables

Storage Sprout Inhibitors

Containers for Vegetables

Vegetable Marketing

Part 9: Seed Production and Storage

Seed Labels

Seed Germination Tests

Seed Purity and Germination Standards

Seed Production

Seed Yields

Seed Storage

Part 10: Appendix

Sources of Vegetable Information

Sources of Vegetable Seeds

Periodicals for Vegetable Growers

U.S. Units of Measurement

Conversion Factors for U.S. Units

Metric Units of Measurement

Conversion Factors for U.S. and Metric Units

Conversions for Rates of Application

Water and Soil Solution Conversion Factors

Heat and Energy Equivalents and Definitions

Index

I use this book as my first reference work to answer disease and insect problems in vegetables for the public. The layout is extremely easy to use. Each section is very clear and concise. This work is also used for establishing small plot research design that is comprable to the large scale production fields. All the information one needs is in this handbook for vegtable trials and for large scale production. There is very little else on the market that is as comprehensive as this publication and as accurate regarding information provided.

First published in 1956, this handbook is an indispensable, up-to-date companion both in the field and in the marketplace. Topics include the vegetable industry, greenhouse vegetable production, soils and fertilizers, water, pests, weed control, harvesting, storage, and seed production. Packed with quick-access graphs, tables, charts, and line drawings, the 4th edition offers new information on drip irrigation, seed germination, plant tissue and sap testing, windbreaks, and weed management. It also gives advice on allowable pesticide and herbicide use and on the latest worker protection standards. The appendix contains sources of vegetable information, providers of vegetable seeds, periodicals for vegetable growers, and U.S. units of measurement and the metric conversion factors. A change from the spiral-bound 3rd edition is a sturdy, flexible cover to help hold pages flat.