Download or read book Agronomic and Economic Aspects of Integrating a Winter Annual Cereal Into a Corn soybean Rotation in Michigan Cropping Systems written by Michael R. Jewett and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Agronomic Economic and Ecological Response of Corn and Soybean Production Systems to Winter Cover Cropping and Minimum Tillage Management in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley written by Thomas Beauregard Badon and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winter fallow corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production systems are susceptible to erosion and agrochemical transport. This research determined the effects of Cover Crop Minimum Tillage (CCMT) on erosion and agrochemical transport from corn-soybean rotations at field scale, while assessing impacts to agroeconomics and irrigation in Mississippi’s Delta Region. CCMT did not affect total suspended solids (p = 0.53), total inorganic phosphorus (TIP) (p = 0.30), or total nitrogen (TN) (p = 0.25) loads, but did reduce TIP (p = 0.018), TN (p = 0.011), and nitrate-nitrite (p = 0.007) concentrations. An economic loss of $281/ha with no effect on yield (p = 0.09), irrigation use efficiency (p = 0.38), or consumptive water use (p = 0.83) was observed. CCMT will not improve profitability of corn-soybean rotations in the Delta and transitioning from fallowing to CCMT will have varying effects on erosion and agrochemical transport.

Download or read book Winter Cereal Cover Crops and Nitrogen Management Practices for Increasing Farm Profit and Minimizing Nitrogen Losses in Corn soybean Agroecosystems written by Oladapo Adeyemi and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winter cereal cover crops (WCCCs) could provide extra profit by being harvested as forage or for biofuel purposes, could benefit soil, and the following cash crops, and are considered an effective practice in reducing the nitrate-N (NO3-N) leaching especially in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) fields. The extend at which WCCCs and their residue management (e.g. harvesting vs. terminating at different times) improve farm profit, influence the following cash crop, especially corn is less studied. Also, literature is scant on the residue management effects on NO3-N leaching potential and its tradeoff with soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions especially in Alfisols with claypans. Two trials (chapter 1-2) were conducted to evaluate the time of harvest of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) or winter cereal rye (WCR; Secale cereale L.) to determine the best time of harvest for maximizing profit through improving biomass production at high quality. In chapter 1, a five site-yr trial was conducted in Colorado (CO) and Illinois (IL) to evaluate the effect of harvest date on WCR forage yield, quality, and its economic performance. From March to April, WCR dry matter (DM) yield increased exponentially in CO and linearly in IL. The DM yield at DOY 112-116 in CO was 6.9, 5.0, and 5.2 Mg ha-1 in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively compared to 4.7 and 2.7 Mg ha-1 in IL in 2019 and 2020. Delayed harvesting increased acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentrations and decreased crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and relative feed quality (RFQ). Yield-quality trade-off showed that forage yield increased rapidly but forage quality declined after DOY 105-108. Economic analysis, including cost of nutrient removal and 10% corn yield penalty following WCR production revealed harvesting WCR biomass as forage was economically feasible in four out of five site-yrs at hay price over 132 $ Mg-1. Eliminating corn yield penalty indicated profitability in four site-yrs at hay price of ≥110 $ Mg-1 and removing nutrient removal costs made all site-yrs profitable at hay price of ≥110 $ Mg-1. It was concluded that harvesting WCR biomass can be a profitable and effective strategy for sustainable intensification that can offer environmental stewardship and economic benefit. In chapter 2, a four-year trial was conducted in the 2017-2018, 2018-2029, 2019-2020, and 2020- 2021 growing seasons to evaluate the effect of harvesting time (late-March to mid-May considering the growth stage) on winter wheat biomass yield, quality, and farm profit in single season corn vs. wheat-corn rotation. A delay in harvest of wheat resulted in increased DM biomass and lower CP and RFQ. The RFQ that was suitable for dairy production occurred at GDD of 1849 in which the DM biomass was 6.2 Mg ha-1 leading to $1526.46 ha-1 income. The RFQ for heifer production was 126 at 2013 GDD in which the DM biomass was 6.8 Mg ha-1 leading to $1290.85 ha-1 income. These results suggested that wheat-corn rotation could provide extra income while covering the soil year-round. A series of trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of cover crop (CC) and nitrogen (N) management on (i) corn growth, (ii) grain yield and yield components, (iii) the economic optimum N rate (EONR) for corn and farm profit, (iv) N removal, and balances, (v) N use metrics, (vi) soil NO3-N and ammonium-N (NH4-N), along with (vii) N2O emissions and factors associated with it. In chapter 3, an experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement and four replicates to study winter wheat cover crop management practices on corn growth, production, N requirement, soil N, and farm profit. The main plots were four CC treatments: no CC (control), early terminated wheat CC (four weeks to corn planting; ET), late terminated wheat CC (just prior to corn planting; LT), and harvested wheat CC (residue removal; RR), and the subplots were six N fertilizer application rates (0-280 kg N ha-1 ) for 2018 and 2019 and seven N fertilizer application rates (0-336 kg N ha-1 ) for 2020 and 2021. Wheat cover crop management influenced corn grain yield where fallow was consistently high yielding while RR decreased corn grain yield drastically due to its negative effects on the corn plant population. All cover crop treatments immobilized N as shown by lower corn grain yields at zero-N control compared to the fallow treatment. The EONR generally ranged from 151.4 kg ha-1 to 206.4 kg ha-1 in fallow, 192.8 kg ha-1 to 275.8 kg ha-1 in ET, 225 kg ha-1 to 325 kg ha-1 in LT, and 175.3 kg ha-1 to 257.5 kg ha-1 in RR. At the EONR, corn grain yields ranged from 12.2 Mg ha-1 to 13.7 Mg ha-1 in the fallow treatment, 9.7 Mg ha-1 to 13.0 Mg ha-1 in the ET, 9.51 Mg ha-1 to 13.3 Mg ha-1 in the LT, and 8.2 Mg ha-1 to 10.5 Mg ha-1 in the RR treatment. Adding N beyond EONR resulted in a drastic increase in end of season soil N which could be subject to leaching emphasizing targeting EONR is critical for avoiding high N leaching and that if N is applied at rates beyond EONR, then cover cropping becomes even a more critical practice to avoid N losses. In chapter 4 and 5, we evaluated whether splitting N fertilization along with the two (no-cover crop vs. early termination; ET) (chapter 4) or four above-mentioned cover crops treatments (chapter 5) could improve corn production and farm profit through improved N use efficiency (NUE). Therefore, for chapter 4, a two-yr field trail was implemented at the Agronomy Research Center in Carbondale, IL in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate whether split N application to corn changes N use efficiency (NUE) in no-cover crop vs. following an early terminated (ET) wheat cover crop. A four-replicated randomized completed block design with split plot arrangements were used. Main treatments were a no cover crop (control) vs. ET and subplots were five N timing applications to succeeding corn: (1) 168 kg N ha-1 at planting; (2) 56 kg N ha-1 at planting + 112 kg N ha-1 at sidedress; (3) 112 kg N ha-1 at planting + 56 kg N ha-1 at sidedress (4) 168 kg N ha-1 at sidedress, and (5) zero kg N ha-1 (control). Corn yield was higher in 2018 than 2019 reflecting more timely precipitation in that year. Grain yield declined by 12.6% following the wheat cover crop compared to no cover crop control indicating corn yield penalty when wheat was planted prior to corn. In 2018, a year with timely and sufficient rainfall, there were no differences among N application timing while in 2019, delaying the N addition improved NUE and corn grain yield due to excessive rainfall early in the season reflecting on N losses. Overall, our findings elucidate necessity of revisiting guidelines for current N management practices in Midwestern United States and incorporating cover crop component into MRTN prediction tool. For chapter 5, a four-year trial conducted with a split plot arrangement and four replicates. Main plots were four cover crop management [no cover crop control (fallow); ET, late termination (LT), and residue removal at late termination (RR) and five N fertilizer application timings (all at planting, most at planting + sidedress; half-half; less at planting and more at sidedress; and all sidedress). Our results indicated that RR resulted in corn population and grain yield reduction compared to other treatments. Fallow was consistently high-yielding and 112-56 N management during the first two years for fallow worked the best (10.1 Mg ha-1 ). In 2020 and 2021, both applying all N upfront or sidedressing yielded similar for fallow giving growers options with N timing. For both ET and LT, in all years, delaying the N addition to sidedress timing resulted in high yields (9.1 - 11.7 Mg ha-1 ). Some N addition upfront plus sidedressing the rest (56-168) resulted in the highest yield in ET in 2021 (11.6 Mg ha-1 ). For RR, split application of N (56-112 or 56-168) was consistently most productive in all years (8.7 Mg ha-1 ) suggesting that there is an advantage to sidedressing than upfront N application in cover crop systems. The high productive N management practices generally resulted in higher NUE (24.0 - 38.6 kg grain kg N-1 ) and lower N balance (20.6 - 50.2 kg ha-1 for 2018-2019, and 74 - 106.4 kg ha-1 for 2020-2021) which are critical to achieve not only for farm profit but also minimizing environmental footprints. Except for N0, N balance was positive in all treatments in all years indicating the inefficiency of fertilizer N that was corroborated by low NUE and PFP data. We concluded that to optimize corn production and reducing nutrient loss, split N addition or sidedressing N is most suitable especially in cover cropping systems. For chapter six, a four-times replicated randomized complete block design trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of winter wheat cover crop management practices (ET, LT, and RR) vs. a no-cover crop control (fallow) on corn grain yield, N removal and balances, soil N dynamics, soil volumetric water content (VWC) and temperature dynamics, N2O-N emissions, yield-scaled N2O-N emissions, and factors that drive N2O-N and corn grain yield in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 growing seasons in a silt loam soil with clay and fragipans. Our results indicated that corn grain yield decreased by both ET and RR as compared to the fallow and LT. Soil temperature was similar among all treatments, but soil VWC was higher in LT and ET than fallow and RR. The LT treatment always had lower soil NO3-N than the other treatments in both years. In 2021, the ET also had less soil nitrate-N than fallow and RR. Averaged over the two years, cumulative soil N2O-N was higher in LT (14.85 kg ha-1 ) and ET (12.85 kg ha-1 ) than RR (11.10 kg ha-1 ) and fallow (7.65 kg ha-1 ) indicating while these treatments are effective in reducing NO3-N leaching, they could increase soil N2O-N emissions. Principal component analysis indicated that higher N2O-N emissions in LT and ET was related to higher VWC suggesting at optimal N management scenarios, other factors than soil N drive N2O-N emissions. In this study, fallow had the least yield-scaled N2O-N emissions followed by RR. The yield-scaled emissions were similar between ET and LT. These results indicate the importance of evaluating N2O-N emissions in cereal cover crops prior to corn for informing best management practice for winter cereal cover crop adoption. Future studies should focus on manipulating cover crop management to capture residual N without creating microclimates with high VWC to avoid increase of N2O-N emissions. While a lot is known about CC effects on the following cash crop, less is known about rotational benefits of late terminated (planting green) wheat and nitrogen (N) management on the following WCR and soybean in rotation. Therefore, for chapter 7, a trial was conducted with a split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design set up. The main plots were two cover crop treatments (a no cover crop control vs. LT) and the subplots were three N rates [0 (N0), 224 (N224), and 336 (N336) kg N ha-1 ). Each treatment was replicated four times and rye and soybean was planted in all of the plots in rotation. Our results indicated wheat, when terminated late, can uptake 50-80 kg N ha-1 and result in belowground:aboveground ratio of 0.18 in which belowground had much higher C:N than the aboveground biomass. The soil NO3-N was affected by wheat presence and often reduced due to wheat N uptake and also N immobilization negatively affecting the following corn especially at both N0 and N224. Nitrogen fertilization at 336 kg N ha-1 resulted in high end of season N, reduced NUE, increased N balance, and thus, potential for N loss especially in the fallow treatment. The end of season N was lower and NUE was higher in LT which was coincided with reduced rye N uptake in LT suggesting wheat effect lingers longer than just during the corn season and could potentially reduce N loss potential during the fallow period following corn harvest. Soybean yields were higher in LT than the fallow which could be due to (i) higher rye biomass in fallow or (ii) positive legacy effect of wheat in rotation. Improved soybean yields could offset some of the economic loss during the corn phase and push growers in the Midwestern USA to be willing to adopt cover cropping to minimize N loss while protecting soil and stay profitable. Our results from chapter 3-7, indicate a need to change in cover crop management strategy to make it more user friendly with lower costs. In general, in the Midwestern USA, growers are reluctant to plant WCR especially prior to corn due to N immobilization and establishment issues. Precision planting of WCR or --Skipping the corn row‖ (STCR) can minimize some issues associated with WCR ahead of corn while reducing cover crop seed costs. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of --STCR‖ vs. normal planting of WCR at full seeding rate (NP) on WCR biomass, nutrient uptake, and composition in three site-yrs (ARC2019, ARC2020, BRC2020). Our results indicated no differences in cover crop dry matter (DM) biomass production between the STCR (2.40 Mg ha-1 ) and NP (2.41 Mg ha-1 ) supported by similar normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) and plant height for both treatments. Phosphorus, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) accumulation in aboveground biomass was only influenced by site-yr and both STCR and NP removed similar amount of P, K, Ca, and Mg indicating STCR could be as effective as NP in accumulating nutrients. Aboveground carbon (C) content (1086.26 kg h-1 average over the two treatments) was similar between the two treatments and only influenced by site-yr differences. Lignin, lignin:N, and C:N ratios were higher in STCR than NP in one out of three site-years (ARC2019) indicating greater chance of N immobilization when WCR was planted later than usual. Implementing STCR saved 8.4 $ ha-1 for growers and could incentivize growers to adopt this practice. Future research should evaluate corn response to STCR compared with NP and assess if soil quality declines by STCR practice over time.

Download or read book Annual Meetings Abstracts written by American Society of Agronomy and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 518 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Managing Cover Crops Profitably 3rd Ed written by Andy Clark and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2008-07 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You¿ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, since their benefits accumulate over the long term. This book will help you find which ones are right for you. Captures farmer and other research results from the past ten years. The authors verified the info. from the 2nd ed., added new results and updated farmer profiles and research data, and added 2 chap. Includes maps and charts, detailed narratives about individual cover crop species, and chap. about aspects of cover cropping.

Download or read book Cover Crop and Soil Amendment Effects on Carbon Sequestration in a Silage Corn soybean Cropping System written by Bradley Eric Fronning and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Bibliography of Agriculture written by and published by . This book was released on 1971 with total page 984 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Agrindex written by and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 908 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Integrating a Rye Cover Crop Into the Corn soybean Rotation written by Jason L. De Bruin and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Direct Economic Effects of Increased Energy Prices on Corn and Soybean Production on Cash Grain Farms in Southeastern Michigan written by J. A. Lehrmann and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Building Soils for Better Crops written by Fred Magdoff and published by Sare. This book was released on 2009 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "'Published by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, with funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture."

Download or read book Integration of Cover Crops Into Midwest Corn soybean Cropping Systems and Potential for Weed Suppression written by Joshua S. Wehrbein and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cover crops have potential to provide benefits to agricultural systems, such as improved soil productivity, nutrient scavenging, weed suppression, and livestock forage. There are several challenges associated with cover crop integration into traditional Midwest corn-soybean cropping systems. One of these challenges is timely establishment in the fall, which is limited by the relatively late harvest of corn and soybean. Cover crop effectiveness is related to the amount of biomass produced, thus maximizing the growth period in the fall is desired. To address this challenge, we evaluated the potential to utilize early-season soybean maturity groups (MGs) to allow for earlier soybean harvest and cover crop planting to maximize cover crop growth. In addition, an integrated cover crop and herbicide management program was evaluated to determine its effect on weed suppression and corn yield. Cover crops have often been shown to be most effective when integrated with other methods of weed management such as herbicides. Cover crops have also been shown to potentially reduce subsequent corn yield. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of cover crop planting date, termination date, and herbicide program on weed density, weed biomass, and subsequent corn yield. Field experiments were conducted in 2017-2019 across six different locations in Nebraska, Ohio, and Kentucky. Results suggest use of early-season soybean MGs allow cover crops to be planted up to 30 days sooner than late-season MGs. Cover crop biomass production was highest for early cover crop planting dates associated with early-season MGs across most site-years evaluated. Soybean yield often plateaued near a 3.0 relative maturity (RM) depending on the region, suggesting that soybean RM may be reduced to 3.0 to allow for earlier cover crop planting without sacrificing soybean yield. Results further suggest that use of a residual herbicide with a postemergence herbicide was necessary to obtain the largest reduction in both weed density and biomass. Weed biomass was occasionally reduced by the cover crop, however, results were inconsistent. Cover crops generally had minimal influence on overall weed suppression, and occasionally resulted in corn yield reduction, indicating the importance of other traditional methods of weed management. Abbreviations: MG, maturity group; RM, relative maturity.

Download or read book Proceedings written by and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increasing tropical soybean production with improved cropping systems and management; Soybean response to intercropping with cassava; Soybean in rice-based farming systems: the IRRI experience; Soybean sole cropping ind intercropping in temperature and subtropical environments; Yield stability of sole-crop and intercrop planting system; Soybean-coconut intercropping; Soybean intercropping with rubber and oil palm; Minimum tillage soybean following rice in Thailand; Soybean cropping systems in Tamil Nadu, India; Soybean cropping systems in Southern India; The potential of soybean in Indian cropping systems; Cropping systems and soybean production in Bangladesh; Breeding soybean for chinese cropping systems; Soybean cropping systems in Taiwan; Intensifying land and nutrient equivalent ratios by intercropping corn and soybean in Egypt; Soybean-based cropping systems in Korea; Soybean cropping systems in Thailand: technical and socio-economic aspects; Soybean breeding for multiple and intensive cropping systems in Indonesia; Early maturing soybean for intensive cropping systems; Strategies for bredding soybean for intercropping and multiple cropping systems; Breeding tropical soybean for superior seed longevity anf for nodulation with indigenous rhizobia; Soybean breeding for the brazilian tropics; Breeding for soybean virus resistance; Breeding for nematode and insect resistance; T-DNA transfer in soybean; Saturated soil culture: an innovative water management option for soybean in the tropics and subtropics; Soybean genotypic responses for minimum and maximum input in different seasons; Maximum yield and maximum economic yield for soybean; Agronomic requirements for wet and dry seasons soybean; Soybean weed control; The influence of planting method and mulching on soybean seed yield; The development and testing of a manual soybean seeder; Wheat-soybean double-crop management in Missouri; Recent advances in soybean rust research; Differential reactions of Phakopsora Pachyrhizi on soybean in Taiwan; Soybean disease control strategies for the tropics and subtropics; The beanfly pest complex of tropical soybean; Development cost effective rhizobium technology for the tropics and subtropics; Quantifying N2 fixation in field-grown soybeans using 15N isotope dilution; Response of soybean to supplemental nitrogen after flowering; Soil tests for predicting soybean phosphorus and potassium requeriments; Soybean tolerance to manganese in the tropics; Soybean nodulation guide; The physiology of soybean yield improvement; Soybean adaptation to photo-termal environments and implications for screening germplasm; Photoperiod and temperature effects on the growth and reproductive behavior of less photoperiod-sensitive soybean; Adaptation of soybean to subtropical and tropical environments in Australia; Effect of water stress on soybean metabolism; Yield respons of selected soybean cultivars to water stress during different reproductive growth periods; Physiological requirements of soybean in tropical cropping systems; The economics of small and large-scale soybean production in the Philippines; The economics of soybean in Indonesia; The development of multi-cropping systems and soybean production in the Asian-Pacific region; Improved soybean cultivars in Tanzania; Soybean in Burkina Faso: Agronomics Studies and development prospects; Soybean in the Ivory Coast; Irrigated soybean production in Egypt; Soybean in rice-fallows in the sunderbans; The FAO soybean development programme.

Download or read book Short term Effects of Winter Cover Crops on Soil Properties Yield and Partial Returns in a No tillage Soybean Rotation written by Drew Dillion Kirkpatrick and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cover crops have the potential to provide many benefits including weed suppression, erosion control, and improvements to soil quality. These benefits can be affected by species, biomass accumulation, and management practices. Although large amounts of biomass are good for maximizing benefits, it can result in problems for establishing the subsequent crop. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accounts for over 50% of Arkansas crop hectares annually; therefore, understanding the effect that a cover crop can have on the following soybean crop is crucial to the successful implementation of cover crops within the state. A study was established to evaluate winter cover crops as an alternative to traditional Arkansas practices, such as winter fallow, as well as winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) soybean double-crop system, and the effect each cropping system has on soybean yield and partial returns. Additionally, a goal of this study was to assess a variety of cover crop species and blends as well as their effect on aboveground biomass accumulation, nutrient uptake, and stand establishment of the following soybean crop. Soil organic matter (SOM) and pH were also used to evaluate overall soil health following three full rotations of each winter treatment. Results of the study show that winter cover crops do not affect the following soybean crop establishment, but had a positive influence on soybean yield and partial returns in a no-tillage system. Except for blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), each cover crop treatment proved to be an equally viable alternative to a traditional double-crop system and more profitable than a winter fallow system. Cover crops not only have an immediate impact of increasing soybean yield, but cover crops also have the potential to provide long-term benefits. Previous research has shown that increased biomass production typically increases SOM and results of this study indicate that cover crop treatments produced up to four times as much aboveground biomass compared to a winter fallow management strategy. Treatments that produced the most biomass also accumulated the most aboveground nutrient contents for the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). There were no differences in soil health calculations, but each treatment received a "good" soil health score. Our results indicate that winter cover crops provide a promising alternative to the winter wheat soybean double-crop system and winter fallow management program and with continuous management, soil quality can be improved.

Download or read book Crop Rotation on Organic Farms written by Charles L. Mohler and published by Natural Resource Agriculture and Engineering Service (Nraes). This book was released on 2009 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Cover Cropping in Soybean corn Rotation System written by José Rodolfo Mite-Cáceres and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: