The Soil and Health

During his years as a scientist working for the British government in India, Sir Albert Howard conceived of and refined the principles of organic agriculture. Howard's The Soil and Health became a seminal and inspirational text in the organic movement soon after its publication. The Soil and Health argues that industrial agriculture, emergent in Howard's era and dominant today, disrupts the delicate balance of nature and irrevocably robs the soil of its fertility. Howard's classic treatise links the burgeoning health crises facing crops, livestock, and humanity to this radical degradation of the Earth's soil. His message-that we must respect and restore the health of thse soil for the benefit of future generations-still resonates among those who are concerned about the effects of chemically enhanced agriculture.

 

Sir Albert Howard (1873-1947), founder of the organic farming movement, is the author of several books, including An Agricultural Testament.

 

Contents : New Introduction by Wendell Berry. Preface. Introduction.

Part I. The part Played by Soil fertility in Agriculture
1. The operations of Nature 2. Systems of Agriculture 3. The Maintenance of Soil fertility in great Britain 4. Industrialism and the profit motive 5. The intrusion of Science

Part II. Disease in present-day farming and gardening
1. Some Diseases of the Soil 2. The Diseases of Crops 3. Disease and health in livestock 4. Soil fertility and human health 5. The Nature of disease

 

Part III. The problem of manuring
1. Origins and scope of the problem 2. The indore process and its reception by the farming and gardening worlds 3. The reception of the indore process by the scientists

Part IV. Conclusions and Suggestions, A Final Survey