Parting company with the trend in recent scholarship to treat the subject in abstract, highly theoretical terms, Magic in Ancient Greece and Rome proposes that the magic-working of antiquity was in reality a highly pragmatic business, with very clearly formulated aims - often of an exceedingly malignant kind.In seven chapters, each addressed to an important arm of Greco-Roman magic, the volume discusses the history of the rediscovery and publication of the so-called Gr...

The last sixty years of Imperial Russia are not only of great historical interest, but are significant for other countries and other periods. The social, economic, and political conditions which gave Lenin his opportunity were similar to those now giving birth to various types of revolutionary movements in many parts of the world.Dr. Seton-Watson's penetrating analysis of the mainstreams of the declining decades of pre-Revolutionary Russia establishes clearly that the nation as a wh...

Marcus Valerius Martialis, or Martial (born between 38 and 41 CE, died between 102 and 104 CE) is celebrated for his droll, frequently salacious, portrayal of Roman high and low society during the first century rule of the emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan. Considered the 'inventor' of the modern epigram, Martial was a native of Hispania, who came to Rome in the hope of securing both patronage and advancement. From the bath-houses, taverns and gymnasia to the sculleries and slave-markets...

The Author's Effects: On the Writer's House Museum is the first book to describe how the writer's house museum came into being as a widespread cultural phenomenon across Britain, Europe, and North America. Exploring the ways that authorship has been mythologised through the conventions of the writer's house museum, The Author's Effects anatomises the how and why of the emergence, establishment, and endurance of popular notions of authorship in relation to creativity. It t...

Reviews key challenges and advances in maize breeding methods;Discusses the development of varieties with enhanced nutritional and other properties such as improved protein content and abiotic stress resistance;Summarises key steps being taken to support smallholders growing maize in developing countries

Discusses latest research on sorghum structure, chemistry and physiologyReviews varied uses of sorghum as a feed and food grain, forage and energy cropIncludes case studies of key challenges facing sorghum cultivation in regions such as Asia, Africa and South America

"From September 1862 until May 1865, Major William Watson served as surgeon with the 105th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, which fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and elsewhere. Over the course of three years at war, he wrote 91 letters to his family, in which he describes his own war against death and disease. This well-educated and sensitive young man has left us a variety of impressions of camp life, marches, and battles; of a soldier's matter-...

Reviews key advances and best practice in cultivation techniques across the value chain of organic farmingDiscusses ways of monitoring and improving the environmental impact of organic crop productionParticular focus on ways of supporting organic farming in the developing world

Nitrogen (N) is potentially one of the most complex elements on the Earth. It is necessary for all biological activity, but creates negative impacts on water and air quality. There is a balancing act between deficiency and surplus and the forms of N available further complicate our understanding of the dynamics. Biological fixation provides some plants with N supply while others are totally dependent upon N being available in the soil profile for the roots to extract. Nevertheless, the dem...

Reviews advances in cultivation practice such as seed establishment and more efficient irrigation techniques;Summarises developments in ‘climate smart’ agriculture such as conservation tillage and organic wheat cultivation;Discusses ways of supporting smallholders improve wheat cultivation in North Africa and other regions in the developing world

Improving Water and Nutrient Use Efficiency in Food Production Systems provides professionals, students, and policy makers with an in-depth view of various aspects of water and nutrient us in crop production. The book covers topics related to global economic, political, and social issues related to food production and distribution, describes various strategies and mechanisms that increase water and nutrient use efficiency, and review te curren situation and potential improvements ...

Focusing on organic farming, this book presents peer-reviewed contributions from leading international academics and researchers in the field of organic agriculture, plant ecosystems, sustainable horticulture and related areas of biodiversity science. It includes case studies and reviews on organic agriculture, horticulture and pest management, use of microorganisms, composting, crop rotation, organic milk and meat production, as well as ecological issues. This unique book addresses a wide...