The structure of Ornamental Horticulture: Science, Operations, & Management, 4th Edition, is designed to support and enhance the learning process. Each chapter opens with clearly stated learning objectives. These objectives are accomplished by means of the well-organized text material and the most extensive collection of photographs and drawings of any textbook written on this subject. Student mastery of the learning objectives is measured at the end of each chapter in the achievement review. The answers to the achievement reviews are provided in an Instructor’s Guide. Wherever possible, the information has been summarized in tables for ready reference. All terms are defined on first use in the text and again in a comprehensive glossary at the end of the text. Three appendices are included following the glossary for the student’s reference. One appendix is a list of professional and trade organizations for horticulture and related areas; the other is a list of selected readings for the study of ornamental horticulture, and last there is an appendix containing images illustrating the damage caused by various plant pests.
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The fourth edition of Ornamental Horticulture: Science, Operations and Management, builds on the strong foundation of the third edition. This all new design with full color photographs and illustrations throughout the text assist students as they seek to understand concepts that are presented. Updated coverage on the use of technology by individuals in the industry is included. From designers’ use of software to provide their clients with more graphic illustration of their ideas to the use of the web as a tool to market and communicate with clients, much time and effort has been made to introduce students to these newest trends in the horticulture industry. Included in this area is a brief discussion on the most commonly found graphic software utilized by professionals in the field. The present state of the nursery industry is reviewed with the most current statistics and trends discussed, as well as information on the newest challenges faced by the industry, such as foreign competition.
Techniques also change or become fine-tuned over time, and this edition of the text incorporates those changes. From the installation of trees to the way that greenhouse plants are watered, new techniques are proving their worth as savers of both time and money. Modern horticulturists are embracing the new while preserving the best of the past. This edition of the text looks in both directions, and presents all that are current, tested, and accepted within the industry today.
The chapters on business also have been expanded to incorporate the current advances in computer and telecommunication technologies. New material on pricing and profit calculation makes the section on business even more helpful to new and veteran horticulturists. As with the previous edition, the organization of the book permits the reader to use the chapters in whatever order best accommodates his or her interest or need of the information.
