The California Weed Science Society recently published the 4th edition of the Principles of Weed Control as an e-book. This textbook/handbook that has been a valuable resource for many years and I'm excited that it has been updated. Additionally, by electing to publish it as an e-book (Kindle edition is available at Amazon.com), the price has been dramatically reduced so, hopefully, more students and weed managers can make use of it.
Just in time for that hard-to-buy-for weed manager on your Christmas list.... - just a thought!...
This version of the book was edited by Steve Fennimore and Carl Bell. Congratulations (and thanks) to them for taking on and completing this enormous task. Below is Steve and Carl's preface from the new edition placed in the context of the preface to the first edition from 1982.
Happy Holidays. Brad
Preface to the Fourth Edition
The following is from the Preface to the First Edition:
“Early in 1982, a conclave of unsuspecting souls decided that the sum total of knowledge available within the membership of the California Weed Conference (the original name of CWSS—editor's note) could form the basis for the publication of a textbook dealing primarily with the applied aspects of weed control in California. They speculated that the end result would benefit anyone interested in pursuing or continuing a career in weed science and, further, that such an undertaking could be accomplished in a relatively short period (i.e less than two years). Although the goal never changed, a number of editorial and publication schedules did, and the following comments are deemed appropriate to indicate to the reader the basic thinking that accompanied the many months of dedicated effort represented by this book.
The purpose of this textbook is to provide access to the fundamental principles and concepts of weed control in California as understood by individual experts and based on their research, experimentation, observations, and practical experience. Some 70 authors contributed to the success of this book. Their individual areas of expertise and writing styles are reflected within their respective chapters and sections.”
As much as things have changed enormously in the past 32 years, some things are the same. This fourth edition has 61 authors, several of whom were contributors to previous editions, some to all editions. We started this revision in 2009 and it has taken us more than five years to put this together. We believe that the result has been equal to all three previous editions, e.g. the most accurate, field-tested information on managing weeds and invasive plants in all of the varied farming, domesticated and natural ecosystems in California.
Most importantly, Principles of Weed Control is now published solely in electronic format. We have struggled for years with printing, warehousing, and selling this book. So now we have entered the 21st Century. An E-book will allow us to make it available at low cost, eliminate burdensome handling issues and make revisions far easier for subsequent CWSS Boards of Directors and members. Many people have contributed to this book beyond the authors listed in the publication. The Co-Chairs of the Editorial Committee extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Thomas Miller, the textbook committee members, Chapter lead authors, the Board of Directors of CWSS, our business office staff (the PAPA ladies), and all of the readers of this book that have made continuing this marvelous ordeal worthwhile. We also recognize that we “stand on the shoulders of giants”; this book, indeed this field of Weed Science would not exist without the dedication and hard work of people such as E.W. Hilgard, F.J. Smiley, Walter Ball. W.W. (Doc) Robbins, Alden Crafts, William A Harvey, and many others who created the field now known as Weed Science starting over a century ago.
Steven A. Fennimore and Carl Bell, Co-Chairs of the Textbook Committee