Pulling Up Roots

Forsaking their lives in Rutland Vermont, Nathan Perry and his young family journeyed to the Genesee River in far western New York, the heart of the Great Western Wilderness, beyond the limits of civilized America. By autumn 1790, they had built a primitive cabin, their new home surrounded by a vast primeval forest populated by thousands of truculent Seneca natives who resented their presence. So began the Nathan Perry family’s many long years as trailblazing frontiersmen in the wilds of western New York and later in Ohio, where they “went native,” befriending their tribal neighbors, adopting their habits out of convenience and necessity. As the 18th century wound down, Nathan Perry found himself at the tense interface of two cultures, one ascendant and the other in steep decline, in a time fraught with racial tension and rapid change. Respected by both white settlers and the native tribes, Nathan Perry witnessed and influenced western New York’s transformation from wilderness to settlement in remarkably few decades. It easily be mistaken for fiction, but the Nathan Perry family’s amazing true story is one of adventurism, fortitude, and endurance under challenging, changing circumstances. A family history—particularly one going back centuries—faces the difficult task of telling the stories of people who are now largely unknowable. This book focuses primarily on Nathan Perry Sr. and his family. Who were they really? What were they like? Kind or callous? Good natured or sullen? Outgoing or aloof? We cannot know. But we can draw inferences by learning more about what these long-gone people experienced. By examining shreds of evidence from aged records and linking them with the sweep of history, the dead gradually come into focus.

This book documents an understudied phenomenon in Austronesian languages, namely the existence of recurrent submorphemic sound-meaning associations of the general form -CVC. It fills a critical gap in scholarship on these languages by bringing together a large body of data in one place, and by discussing some of the theoretical issues that arise in analyzing this data. Following an introduction which presents the topic, it includes a critical review of the relevant literature over the past century, and discussions of the following: 1. problems in finding the root (the "needle in the haystack" problem), 2. root ambiguity, 3. controls on chance as an interfering factor, 4. unrecognized morphology as a possible factor in duplicating evidence, 5. the shape/structure of the root, 6. referents of roots, 7. the origin of roots, 8. the problem of distinguishing false cognates produced by convergence in root-bearing morphemes from legitimate comparisons resulting from divergent descent, and 9. the problem of explaining how submorphemes are transmitted across generations of speakers independently of the morphemes that host them. The remainder of the book consists of a list of sources for the 197 languages from which data is drawn, followed by the roots with supporting evidence, a short appendix, and references.

Understanding Roots uncovers one of the greatest mysteries underground—the secret lives and magical workings of the roots that move and grow invisibly beneath our feet. Roots, it seems, do more than just keep a plant from falling over: they gather water and nutrients, exude wondrous elixirs to create good soil, make friends with microbes and fungi, communicate with other roots, and adapt themselves to all manner of soils, winds, and climates, nourishing and sustaining our gardens, lawns, and woodlands. Understanding Roots contains over 115 enchanting and revealing root drawings that most people have never seen, from prairies, grasslands, and deserts, as well as drawings based on excavations of vegetable, fruit, nut, and ornamental tree roots. Every root system presented in this book was drawn by people literally working in the trenches, sketching the roots where they grew. The text provides a verydetailed review of all aspects of transplanting; describes how roots work their magic to improve soil nutrients; investigates the hidden life of soil microbes and their mysterious relationship to roots; explores the question of whether deep roots really gather more unique nutrients than shallow roots; shares the latest research about the mysteries of mycorrhizal (good fungal) association; shows you exactly where to put your fertilizer, compost, water, and mulch to help plants flourish; tells you why gray water increases crop yields more than fresh water; and, most importantly, reveals the science behind all the above (with citations for each scientific paper). This book contains at least eighty percent more new information, more results of the latest in-depth and up-to-date explorations, and even more helpful guidelines on roots than the author’s previous book (Roots Demystified: Change Your Garden Habits to Help Roots Thrive). This is not a revised edition—it’s a whole new stand-alone book.

The root system is a vital part of the plant and therefore understanding roots and their functioning is key to agricultural, plant and soil scientists. In Plant Roots Professor Peter Gregory brings together recent developments in techniques and an improved understanding of plant and soil interactions to present a comprehensive look at this important relationship, covering: Root response to, and modification of, soils Genetic control of roots’ responses to the environment Use of modern techniques in imaging, molecular biology and analytical chemistry Practical exploitation of root characters This book will be a vital tool for plant, crop, soil and agricultural scientists, plant physiologists, environmental scientists, ecologists and hydrologists. It will be a valuable addition to libraries in universities, agricultural colleges and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught.