Practical gardening guide up-dated again

Press, 25 September 1987, Page 16

Practical gardening guide up-dated again

Yates Garden Guide. Revised illustrated edition, 1987. 341 pp. $lB.

It is more than 90 years since the first edition of this publication appeared in New Zealand. This sixty-first printing has made it the longest published book, and the second most published volume in the country.

Comparison with a twentieth edition and a much more recent one, shows just how much progress has been made not only in the range of materials, seeds, and knowledge, but also in the presentation of information.

Updating has been fairly thorough, even to the extent of including name changes to New Zealand plants (although one has been missed). Good, clear illustrations, in black and white and

GARDENING

by

Mike Lusty

colour, complement the text.

Twenty chapters are devoted to specific garden topics; they range from fertilisers and their use to pest and disease identification and control, tools, bulbs, fruit, vegetables and much more. There is sufficient information on most if not all aspects of gardening for general purposes, and it is provided in a predominantly clear, concise, and factual manner.

Charts provide a quick

and handy reference guide on such aspects as varietal differences and product uses. The monthly activity summaries are most helpful to planning. As the title of the publication suggests, this is a guide, and because it is meant for general application cannot possibly embrace the variances of conditions prevailing throughout the country. So sometimes, some flexibility must be exercised when following up some of the guide’s information. Throughout the text reference is made to the firm’s proprietary range of products. This may not please everyone, but in an otherwise very handy and attractive publication this could be readily overlooked. This is a book which can be well recommended for the book shelf of all who want to have a practical, up-dated gardening compendium on hand.