Publisher's Synopsis
The Farming Handbook is a unique and comprehensive book that deals with a wide range of agricultural subjects and enterprises in one easy-to-use volume. Although the focus is mainly on conditions in South Africa, the agricultural principles and practices can be applied easily elsewhere. Throughout his career, Barry Smith has formulated and collected thumb rules, working on the premise that it is better to be roughly right than to be precisely wrong. There are 150 of these thumb rules presented here, which can save time and effort and are easy to remember and apply. Here is an essential guide to natural resources (climate, vegetation, soil and water), and useful information on veld management, land assessment, agricultural engineering (soil erosion, land preparation and building) and irrigation. Barry Smith's extensive knowledge and experience are revealed in the practical resources given for livestock production (beef, dairy, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry and wildlife), pastures, field crops, orchard crops, vegetables, and timber. He was given the Top Management award by the Department of Agriculture for producing 28 prediction yield models for field crops, pasture, orchards, vegetables and timber trees. These models are included in ""The Farming Handbook"" and will prove indispensable for farmers, students and agricultural advisers.
