Diseases of Trees and Shrubs (Comstock Book) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Howard H. Lyon (Author), Warren T. Johnson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Three Cornell University scientists have produced a needed up-to-date pictorial reference source that comprehensively covers disease and environmental damage to trees and shrubs in the United States and Canada. With 247 pages of color plates and authoritative accompanying text, this is a handy diagnostic aid that uses specific symptoms on plant parts or entire plants to identify the disease-causing agent of an infected plant. It may be used by anyone with knowledge of general biology as well as by someone with specialized plant knowledge for diagnosing plant disease problems. Highly recommended. Dale Luchsinger, Cobb Cty. P.L., Marietta, Ga.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Praise for the First Edition--

Association of American Publishers Professional and Scholarly Division Award Winner (Life Sciences)

"One of the ten best horticultural books of the century."--The Washington Post

"Diseases of Trees and Shrubs is by far the best book currently available for the horticulturist, arborist, or forester who wishes to identify disorders of forest and shade trees and woody ornamentals."--The Public Garden

"It may be used by anyone with knowledge of general biology as well as by someone with specialized plant knowledge for diagnosing plant disease problems. Highly recommended."--Library Journal

"This book is a remarkable contribution to the literature on tree pathology, providing a valuable source of reference on tree disease for all with an interest in the subject. It must surely be almost obligatory reading for the specialist tree pathologist, and will prove of great value to all tree care professionals. . . . It will fascinate any tree lovers who wish to find out more about the diseases and disorders that may afflict trees."--Arboricultural Journal

"It is well written and it is illustrated with photographs of such high quality that in this respect it could be described as a `coffee table' book of forest pathology."--Forestry

First published in 1987, Diseases of Trees and Shrubs has become a standard reference for plant health specialists, plant diagnosticians, horticulturists, arborists, foresters, and their students. Now thoroughly revised, fully updated, and illustrated with more than 2200 digitally optimized color images in 261 full-color plates and more than 350 black-and-white photographs and drawings, the second edition is an unrivalled survey of the diseases of forest and shade trees and woody ornamental plants in the United States and Canada. The book is both an authoritative reference book and a powerful diagnostic tool. Organized according to type of disease-inducing agent, the second edition is also designed to be helpful in classroom and field instruction. Symptoms, signs, and cycles of hundreds of diseases are described and microscopic features of many pathogens are depicted in photos and line drawings. A searchable CD-ROM included with the book contains bibliographic entries for more than 4500 works that readers can consult for additional information or images. This remarkable scholarly work--praised as one of the best horticultural books of the twentieth century--lays claim to the same accolade for the twenty-first century. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 574 pages
• Publisher: Comstock Publishing (July 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801415179
• ISBN-13: 978-0801415173
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #504,387 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive study of diseases and their (mis) diagnosis, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This book compiles a GREAT deal of useful information about plant pathology. It covers, as any good work about plant disease should, fertilization, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors such as drought, freezing, lightning, air pollution, water contamination etc. before attempting to fix the problem, the work stresses the causal effects and ,similarly, the visual pitfalls that may provide evidence of an unseen insect symptom (galling, nematodes, etc.) The work was written mainly for the temperate zone, but using it in my home sub-tropics was an eye-opener! Reccomended reading for Horticulturalists in the upper echelon, or for Pathologists as a reference, and a reminder to look to the outlying areas for an answer, It's always there!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An update that was well worth waiting for!, February 7, 2007

By	E. J. Biddinger "ejb190" (Rochester, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Diseases of Trees and Shrubs, Second Edition (Comstock Book) (Hardcover)

Here is another one for my short list of horticulture references.

As someone who makes a living looking at these diseases, let me tell you: The photos are top notch! The pictures alone tell the bulk of the story and really make this book worth it. All the latest diseases are here including Sudden Oak Death. A text like this could easily be beyond the understanding of most gardeners, but the authors use an excellent mix of common and scientific names and a wealth of descriptive text to bring things back to earth. Be a little careful making a field diagnosis from just the photos. A quick look through the book, especially the last section on physical and environmental damage, will demonstrate that a lot of things look alike.

An included CD contains a complete reference list in a 333 page Word document, but nothing else. This is very useful if you are looking for more information or a specific cross-reference.

My ONLY complaint is that the plants and diseases are combined into one index rather then two like the similar book "Insects that feed on Trees and Shrubs".

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable, February 11, 2007

By	Eran M. Strauss (Commack, NY, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Diseases of Trees and Shrubs, Second Edition (Comstock Book) (Hardcover)

Anybody in the plant diagnostics or pathology field must have this book on their shelf.