About this manual

Soils, Crops. and Fertilizer Use is a field-oriented manual designed for use by generalists and specialists working with limited-resource farmers and gardeners. It's also well suited as a practical textbook for high school and university-level students.

This 4th edition is twice the size of the 3rd and is a completely new manual in many respects:

• It has been reorganized to enhance comprehension and readability.

• It is more extension-oriented with a stronger emphasis on limited-resource farmers.

• It promotes technical "networking" and grass-roots experimentation. A new appendix has been devoted to sources of technical support.

• It reflects the latest advances in technology, based on research and on-farm experience in many Third World countries.

• The chapter on organic fertilizers has been markedly revised and expanded to include indepth coverage of composting, animal manures, manure tea, green manures, and cover crops.

• This edition uses the metric systems for two reasons. First, it's the official measurement system in many Third World countries. Second, most farm math calculations-especially fertilizer math--are far simpler and quicker using metrics.

How to Use This Manual

First of all, don't be intimidated by the manual's size, especially if you're a generalist with little or no ag background. Here are some suggestions for effectively accessing the manual's information:

• Begin by looking over the Table of Contents to see what subjects are covered and how the manual is organized.

• Note that the manual has a detailed index whose purpose is to improve information accessibility.

• Don't forget about the appendix section. It contains very useful information, yet is easily forgotten about unless you realize what's there.

• If you have little or no background, I urge you to read the manual from start to finish. If you're an agronomist or horticulturist, you may find it more useful to access information by using the index.

A Request for Feedback

I'd appreciate hearing your comments and suggestions concerning the manual. I'm also interested in learning about other soil management and fertilizer use practices that have proven successful for limited-resource farmers in your area.

David Leonard P.O. Box 559 Frogmore, SC 29920 USA