Texas a.& M.University Agriculture Series – serie

The potato has a larger story to tell than its humble status suggests. In this account of the potato and its role in human history - and the human future - James Lang tells that story. Combining biology and social science, he describes the origins of cultivated potatoes; the many ways to propagate, store, and harvest potatoes; and the crop's potential for feeding a hungry planet. Along the way, Lang also muses on art and agriculture, reflects on famine and demography, describes villagebased farmer field schools, and looks at the role the potato plays in China and other key areas of the world. Native to the New World, the potato was first domesticated by Andean farmers, probably in the Lake Titicaca basin. Full of essential vitamins and energy-giving starch, the potato has proved a valuable world resource. Curious Spaniards took the potato back to Europe, from whence it spread worldwide. Today, the largest potato producer is China, with India not far behind. From the many potato projects he studied, Lang learned a simple, direct lesson: how to address basic problems with practical solutions. Whether the problem is seed production, pest management, genetic improvement, or storage, effective projects must take the diversity imposed by place and by farming traditions as a starting point. In agriculture, one size does not fit all. Notes of a Potato Watcher is a book that anyone interested in food crops and small farms will not want to miss, a book that explains why the potato was not the culprit in the Irish famine, and a book that shows why solutions must begin at home.

The potato has a larger story to tell than its humble status suggests. In this account of the potato and its role in human history - and the human future - James Lang tells that story. Combining biology and social science, he describes the origins of cultivated potatoes; the many ways to propagate, store, and harvest potatoes; and the crop's potential for feeding a hungry planet. Along the way, Lang also muses on art and agriculture, reflects on famine and demography, describes villagebased farmer field schools, and looks at the role the potato plays in China and other key areas of the world. Native to the New World, the potato was first domesticated by Andean farmers, probably in the Lake Titicaca basin. Full of essential vitamins and energy-giving starch, the potato has proved a valuable world resource. Curious Spaniards took the potato back to Europe, from whence it spread worldwide. Today, the largest potato producer is China, with India not far behind. From the many potato projects he studied, Lang learned a simple, direct lesson: how to address basic problems with practical solutions. Whether the problem is seed production, pest management, genetic improvement, or storage, effective projects must take the diversity imposed by place and by farming traditions as a starting point. In agriculture, one size does not fit all. Notes of a Potato Watcher is a book that anyone interested in food crops and small farms will not want to miss, a book that explains why the potato was not the culprit in the Irish famine, and a book that shows why solutions must begin at home.

The presence of brush in rangeland environments is a high-priority issue among landowners, and not just in Texas. Whether they manage their land for livestock, hunting, or wildlife watching, what to do about unwanted woody plants remains a serious and pervasive question for them. In the pages of this book, leading range management professionals introduce and explain not only the mechanisms of managing brush but also the changes in management philosophy and technology that have taken place over time. From the futile attempts at eradication to the successes of integrated brush management, practitioners examine mechanical, biological, chemical, and fire-related methods from three perspectives - the past, the present or ""state-of-the-art,"" and the future. In a final discussion, three specialists address the timely and important subject of brush management as it relates to water yield, economics, and wildlife. Available statistics generally show an increase in the major problem species, such as juniper and honey mesquite, on Texas rangelands. But those who plan brush management in a systematic way, apply the correct treatment, and follow up properly can ""beat the odds"" and gain both technically and economically successful results.

In today's Texas, with its growing urban populations and big-city lifestyles, it is worth remembering that in 1850 only 10 percent of Texans lived in towns with as many as 100 people. The rest - of various ethnic and racial groups - lived off the land, which was blessedly suited to a profitable variety of crops and livestock and also provided an abundance of wildlife free for the taking. In Texas Roots, C. Allan Jones reminds us that the economic wealth of modern Texas arose from its agricultural heritage, a rich mixture of practices and traditions including: Caddo hunting, gathering, gardening, and farming; Irrigated agriculture at Spanish missions; Hispanic ranching; Slave-based plantations; Small-scale farmers and ranchers; Through time, people adapted the agricultural technologies, laws, and customs of New Spain, Mexico, Europe, and the South to their own practical, institutional, and legal needs. The result was a particularly Texan system that would serve as the foundation for the state's economic strength after the Civil War. Texas Roots spotlights the connection between Texans and the land, bringing alive an aspect of the state's history that contributed immeasurably to its identity and prosperity.