Out of the Earth: Civilization and the Life of the Soil
Can the loss of soil fertility so affect a civilization that it ceases to exist? Yes, says Hillel, professor of soil physics at the University of Massachusetts. In this readable and easily accessible book, he begins by exploring ancient cultures to show that, far from being modern afflictions only, destructive farming practices and deforestation have been occurring with regularity for thousands of years. From Sumeria to Australia to China to America, Hillel impressively documents his thesis with example after example. More than a scholarly accounting, this book is passionate in its defense of the earth and the need for wise stewardship of its resources. Recommended.- Randy Dykhuis, OCLC, Dublin, OhioCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.