LAND, PEOPLE AND HISTORY
By
A companion volume to Water for the World (1960 p. 632 J-246), this traces the history of man in relation to the soil. A part of the life of the land with no intent to master it, earliest man did little to change or use the earth. As he learned to irrigate the soil and grow food, his way of life evolved. Land uses in ancient times and the Middle Ages differed as did the rituals and customs pertaining to them. The soil of the New World posed an immense challenge. When Eastern America was settled, pioneers turned to the vast stretches of the West. The development of agricultural methods and their effect on everyday life is not minimized in this account. The history of soil conservation and an overview of special land problems and solutions the world over brings a competent study up to date. Like the former volume, this is good informational reading recommended to school and home reference libraries.