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Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture
A complete reference for growing high-yield fruit- and nut-bearing trees.
422 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 29, 2013
Tree Crops is a classic of the permaculture movement, probably the main inspiration for the name. In practice, the book is little more than a suggestion, or an exhortation, to transition to a perennial polyculture system for the US. It's super progressive for its time, of course, but the writing style and amount of information unfortunately are not. Rather, Smith simply describes what each tree could be used for and then quotes a bunch of letters he obtained from farmers and extension agents corroborating the claim that the trees could be so used. It's a good source of ideas (though most of the good ones are probably easier found in more recent literature). It's hard to imagine how much better things might be now had Smith's recommendations been followed when he made them. He suggests a massive research program, primarily, in order to develop new open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of fruits and nuts, and determine the best way to integrate the trees into a functional economic system that could replace annual crops.
It's largely a response to the Dustbowl soil loss issue, part of the soil conservation movement launched by Walter C. Lowdermilk and Vernon Carter's Topsoil and Civilization. That movement had a very ecologically shallow point of view on conservation, so unfortunately Smith is an extension of Pinchot's mindset. Smith never mentions a single reason to plant tree crops other than their action in conserving soil (he talks about increasing yield and low work input too, but treats that more like a bonus than a real reason to transition). None of the reasons we prize agroforestry systems (ecosystem services built in, forest structure mimicry preserves biodiversity) come up.
If you're really into woody perennial polyculture, this is a book you probably ought to have looked through at one point, but it's not much of a resource, and I can't think of any reason to recommend it to anyone else.
It's largely a response to the Dustbowl soil loss issue, part of the soil conservation movement launched by Walter C. Lowdermilk and Vernon Carter's Topsoil and Civilization. That movement had a very ecologically shallow point of view on conservation, so unfortunately Smith is an extension of Pinchot's mindset. Smith never mentions a single reason to plant tree crops other than their action in conserving soil (he talks about increasing yield and low work input too, but treats that more like a bonus than a real reason to transition). None of the reasons we prize agroforestry systems (ecosystem services built in, forest structure mimicry preserves biodiversity) come up.
If you're really into woody perennial polyculture, this is a book you probably ought to have looked through at one point, but it's not much of a resource, and I can't think of any reason to recommend it to anyone else.
March 23, 2015
Joseph Russell Smith (1874-1966) was a geography professor who grew up in the chestnut forests of Virginia. His book Tree Crops was originally published in 1929. Smith wrote it because he was horrified by the soil destruction caused by regularly tilling cropland — and hillside tilling drove him completely out of his mind, because it permanently destroyed good land at a much faster rate. Everyone knew this, but they kept doing it anyway, because they were cursed with a short-term mindset.
Tilling was a common practice in those days (and it’s still popular today). Farmers tilled because their daddies tilled, and their grandpas tilled, and their great-grandpas tilled in the old country. It was a powerful dirty habit that was nearly impossible to quit, until the land died — and it provided no long-term benefits! With great exasperation, Smith exclaimed: “Corn, the killer of continents, is one of the worst enemies of the human future!”
Old World crops like wheat, barley, rye, and oats provided a dense ground cover that slowed the rate of soil erosion a bit. New World crops like corn, potatoes, cotton, and tobacco were row crops that left the tilled soil exposed, and more vulnerable to erosion. In America, thunderstorms were common, producing downpours that were rare in Europe. Heavy rains filled the streams with lost topsoil. In the Cotton Belt, Smith saw erosion gullies that were 150 feet deep. Oklahoma was ruined with stunning speed. We were destroying land that could have fed millions. An Old World saying sums it up: “After the man the desert.” In the legends of our ancient wild ancestors, the First Commandment is: “Thou shalt not till.”
Joseph was a brilliant visionary, and one day he received an illuminating revelation. If you wanted to stop the destruction of soils caused by tilling, quit tilling! Live in a different way! Create a cuisine that majors in nutritious soil-friendly foods. Smith envisioned two-story farms: tree crops on the sloped land, and pastures for livestock below, both perennial. Farmers could abandon tilling forever, and pass the land on to future generations in a healthier condition. Imagine that.
Farmers scratched their heads when they heard this idea, and were more than a little perplexed and befuddled. Agroforestry wasn’t a mainstream tradition in European American agriculture. The required knowledgebase didn’t exist, so Smith researched it and wrote it down. His book is mostly a scrapbook of correspondence. Smith sent letters to hundreds of experts on tree crops, and then assembled their responses into a book. He created an amazing collection of information, including recommendations for agroforestry in other climates and continents.
Hogs won’t touch corn if there are acorns to eat, and oaks can produce more calories per acre than grain, when done right. A top quality pecan tree can drop nearly a ton of nuts per year. Hickory nuts can be smashed and boiled to produce hickory oil. Pistachios fetch a high price and have a long shelf life. Many types of pines produce nuts. The honey locust is a drought hearty US native that will grow where corn or cotton grows, and animals love the beans. The sugar maple produces sugar. Persimmons are enjoyed by man and beast. Pigs and chickens love mulberries. And don’t forget walnuts, beechnuts, almonds, cherry pits, soapnuts, holly, ginko, pawpaw, horse chestnut, osage orange, privet, wattle, wild plums, and choke cherries. The list goes on and on.
Trees can produce high quality foods, and they can be grown on slopes too steep to plow. Once the trees are established, little labor is needed until harvest time. Tree crops can be much more productive than mere pastures or forests. They typically suffer less from dry spells than field crops. Over time, they can actually build new topsoil. Like any crop, trees are vulnerable to pests, diseases, fire, and extreme weather. Like any crop, tree crops are not 100 percent dependable, year after year, so monocultures are not a wise choice. The Second Commandment is: “Thou shalt encourage diversity.”
Smith witnessed the blight epidemic that wiped out virtually all of the American chestnuts, rapidly killing millions of trees. He personally lost 25 acres of chestnuts. The blight fungus came to America on chestnut trees imported from Asia. Knowing this, it’s shocking that Smith advocated travelling the world in search of better varieties of trees, to bring home and experiment with. Hey, Japanese walnuts! And the USDA helped him! The Third Commandment is: “Thou shalt leave Japanese organisms in Japan.”
Smith was a tree-loving zealot who was on a mission from God, and he promoted his great ideas with great enthusiasm. But the world did not leap to attention, change its ways, and promptly end soil erosion as we know it. Farmers are almost as conservative as popes, and they are not fans of radical change — especially ideas that tie up land for decades before producing the first penny. Joseph was heartbroken: “The longer I live, the more amazed I become at the lack of constructive imagination, the lack of sheer curiosity, the desire to know.” It’s not easy being a brilliant visionary.
Smith's grand vision was reasonable, rational, and ecologically far superior to growing organic crops on tilled fields. Tree crops remain an important subject for the dreams of those who do not robotically march in lockstep with the status quo hordes. Planting America’s hills with tree crops would be an immense task, creating many jobs, and providing benefits for generations. Why don’t we do it? The Fourth Commandment is “Thou shalt live in a manner that is beneficial to the generations yet-to-be-born.”
Tilling was a common practice in those days (and it’s still popular today). Farmers tilled because their daddies tilled, and their grandpas tilled, and their great-grandpas tilled in the old country. It was a powerful dirty habit that was nearly impossible to quit, until the land died — and it provided no long-term benefits! With great exasperation, Smith exclaimed: “Corn, the killer of continents, is one of the worst enemies of the human future!”
Old World crops like wheat, barley, rye, and oats provided a dense ground cover that slowed the rate of soil erosion a bit. New World crops like corn, potatoes, cotton, and tobacco were row crops that left the tilled soil exposed, and more vulnerable to erosion. In America, thunderstorms were common, producing downpours that were rare in Europe. Heavy rains filled the streams with lost topsoil. In the Cotton Belt, Smith saw erosion gullies that were 150 feet deep. Oklahoma was ruined with stunning speed. We were destroying land that could have fed millions. An Old World saying sums it up: “After the man the desert.” In the legends of our ancient wild ancestors, the First Commandment is: “Thou shalt not till.”
Joseph was a brilliant visionary, and one day he received an illuminating revelation. If you wanted to stop the destruction of soils caused by tilling, quit tilling! Live in a different way! Create a cuisine that majors in nutritious soil-friendly foods. Smith envisioned two-story farms: tree crops on the sloped land, and pastures for livestock below, both perennial. Farmers could abandon tilling forever, and pass the land on to future generations in a healthier condition. Imagine that.
Farmers scratched their heads when they heard this idea, and were more than a little perplexed and befuddled. Agroforestry wasn’t a mainstream tradition in European American agriculture. The required knowledgebase didn’t exist, so Smith researched it and wrote it down. His book is mostly a scrapbook of correspondence. Smith sent letters to hundreds of experts on tree crops, and then assembled their responses into a book. He created an amazing collection of information, including recommendations for agroforestry in other climates and continents.
Hogs won’t touch corn if there are acorns to eat, and oaks can produce more calories per acre than grain, when done right. A top quality pecan tree can drop nearly a ton of nuts per year. Hickory nuts can be smashed and boiled to produce hickory oil. Pistachios fetch a high price and have a long shelf life. Many types of pines produce nuts. The honey locust is a drought hearty US native that will grow where corn or cotton grows, and animals love the beans. The sugar maple produces sugar. Persimmons are enjoyed by man and beast. Pigs and chickens love mulberries. And don’t forget walnuts, beechnuts, almonds, cherry pits, soapnuts, holly, ginko, pawpaw, horse chestnut, osage orange, privet, wattle, wild plums, and choke cherries. The list goes on and on.
Trees can produce high quality foods, and they can be grown on slopes too steep to plow. Once the trees are established, little labor is needed until harvest time. Tree crops can be much more productive than mere pastures or forests. They typically suffer less from dry spells than field crops. Over time, they can actually build new topsoil. Like any crop, trees are vulnerable to pests, diseases, fire, and extreme weather. Like any crop, tree crops are not 100 percent dependable, year after year, so monocultures are not a wise choice. The Second Commandment is: “Thou shalt encourage diversity.”
Smith witnessed the blight epidemic that wiped out virtually all of the American chestnuts, rapidly killing millions of trees. He personally lost 25 acres of chestnuts. The blight fungus came to America on chestnut trees imported from Asia. Knowing this, it’s shocking that Smith advocated travelling the world in search of better varieties of trees, to bring home and experiment with. Hey, Japanese walnuts! And the USDA helped him! The Third Commandment is: “Thou shalt leave Japanese organisms in Japan.”
Smith was a tree-loving zealot who was on a mission from God, and he promoted his great ideas with great enthusiasm. But the world did not leap to attention, change its ways, and promptly end soil erosion as we know it. Farmers are almost as conservative as popes, and they are not fans of radical change — especially ideas that tie up land for decades before producing the first penny. Joseph was heartbroken: “The longer I live, the more amazed I become at the lack of constructive imagination, the lack of sheer curiosity, the desire to know.” It’s not easy being a brilliant visionary.
Smith's grand vision was reasonable, rational, and ecologically far superior to growing organic crops on tilled fields. Tree crops remain an important subject for the dreams of those who do not robotically march in lockstep with the status quo hordes. Planting America’s hills with tree crops would be an immense task, creating many jobs, and providing benefits for generations. Why don’t we do it? The Fourth Commandment is “Thou shalt live in a manner that is beneficial to the generations yet-to-be-born.”
July 1, 2021
Rethinking agriculture, from annuals to perennials to trees and livestock. Advancing the amount of food per acre without disturbing the soil.
May 2, 2011
I marveled throughout reading this book that it was actually written in the 1920s. This guy, as far as sustainable farming goes, is right in step with (if not still ahead) of modern food activists. He literally believed that the staple foods of america should be changed and that the Dept of Agriculture was focusing its time and money on the wrong crops. This book convinces me that there are many lifetimes of work to do with tree crops and that I should have started planting my tree farm yesterday.
August 3, 2017
This book is strikingly relevant, even ninety years after publication. There are many inspiring thoughts and suggestions throughout, and it is written in a very approachable and enjoyable style. Among other great features, one of the appendices includes a practical and illustrated guide to grafting nut trees.
"Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture" is in the public domain, and a free pdf of the complete text is available here:
https://archive.org/details/TreeCrops...
"Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture" is in the public domain, and a free pdf of the complete text is available here:
https://archive.org/details/TreeCrops...
July 13, 2020
This is a very old book with lots of interesting information about tree crops around the world in the early 20th century.
There are some very not okay slurs in the book, as there are a lot of quotes from various tree farmers, and the book was published in 1929. So like a great resource and get your feet set for some language you expect your kinda racist great grandparents to sling.
There are some very not okay slurs in the book, as there are a lot of quotes from various tree farmers, and the book was published in 1929. So like a great resource and get your feet set for some language you expect your kinda racist great grandparents to sling.
September 3, 2009
The author makes a strong case for tree crops both in terms of productivity and soil conservation.
Excellent book, well worth reading.
I wish I had read it 25 years ago. It may have helped me better plan the trees in my garden.
Excellent book, well worth reading.
I wish I had read it 25 years ago. It may have helped me better plan the trees in my garden.
April 5, 2018
I give this book five stars because of its amazing foresight. Written in 1929 and last updated in 1950, this is one of the original books on permaculture. Quite likely a source to the term with its subtitle "A Permanent Agriculture".
Mr. Smith talks about the destruction of the environment through the importation of agricultural practices designed for the level plains to the hillside slopes and the ensuing erosion through wind and rain.
He talks about the increased yields of incorporating a canopy crop adjacent to a field crop and the outright superiority of tree crops in given environments.
The state of Oklahoma was utterly ruined in the short time-frame of 1890 to the 1920's due to the poorly applied "modern" agriculture.
This book is primarily a reference book of tree species. As such, I primarily skimmed through it.
That notwithstanding, it remains an important work in the history of ecology.
I particularly like the authors analogy that if an invading nation were to come and wreak the sort of havoc that we have wrought on our own country, that we would be motivated to take up arms against them. But, as we do unto ourselves what we would allow no other, we have no sense of urgency or panic.
There is reason to panic.
This mismanagement has increased the flooding of our rivers and destroyed lands that would have been productive under basic tree cropping principles.
Trees produce more crop per acre on a perennial basis than do the annual crops. They are less susceptible to drought, frost, flooding and fire. From a human nutrition standpoint their fruits and nuts are more easily digestible and nutrient dense than the traditional grain crops.
The author was warning over 90 years ago of avoiding the folly of continuing to follow our path to self destruction through thoughtless land management.
I am shocked at how little we have learned.
Mr. Smith talks about the destruction of the environment through the importation of agricultural practices designed for the level plains to the hillside slopes and the ensuing erosion through wind and rain.
He talks about the increased yields of incorporating a canopy crop adjacent to a field crop and the outright superiority of tree crops in given environments.
The state of Oklahoma was utterly ruined in the short time-frame of 1890 to the 1920's due to the poorly applied "modern" agriculture.
This book is primarily a reference book of tree species. As such, I primarily skimmed through it.
That notwithstanding, it remains an important work in the history of ecology.
I particularly like the authors analogy that if an invading nation were to come and wreak the sort of havoc that we have wrought on our own country, that we would be motivated to take up arms against them. But, as we do unto ourselves what we would allow no other, we have no sense of urgency or panic.
There is reason to panic.
This mismanagement has increased the flooding of our rivers and destroyed lands that would have been productive under basic tree cropping principles.
Trees produce more crop per acre on a perennial basis than do the annual crops. They are less susceptible to drought, frost, flooding and fire. From a human nutrition standpoint their fruits and nuts are more easily digestible and nutrient dense than the traditional grain crops.
The author was warning over 90 years ago of avoiding the folly of continuing to follow our path to self destruction through thoughtless land management.
I am shocked at how little we have learned.
January 27, 2020
Visionary book on the future of farming and feeding humans and livestock. Because of its sometimes long winded prose as well as being american-centric, it is not meant as a practitioners guide. It is especially a worthwhile read, because it reveals the extent to which the roadmap, what this work essentially is, has been ignored over the century since, and with all the adverse consequences that came with it.
The book has a chapter devoted to the philosophy of farming trees: "Was there a state appropriation or congressional appropriation to back [the invention of the telegraph]? No! These things are done with private money to urge an idea!". The author hence correctly makes the point that restoring lands for sustainable food production must therefore come from private enterprise and cannot be expected to be adopted as a matter of policy.
A wealth of information, copious footnotes and richly illustrated, not just with photos, but also graphs and tables and thereby ahead of its time.
The book has a chapter devoted to the philosophy of farming trees: "Was there a state appropriation or congressional appropriation to back [the invention of the telegraph]? No! These things are done with private money to urge an idea!". The author hence correctly makes the point that restoring lands for sustainable food production must therefore come from private enterprise and cannot be expected to be adopted as a matter of policy.
A wealth of information, copious footnotes and richly illustrated, not just with photos, but also graphs and tables and thereby ahead of its time.
February 17, 2024
Wow, what a fantastic read! This book was recommended by an author whose book I didn't enjoy, and so I wasn't sure I'd like Tree Crops. I was very happily wrong!
Not only is this book full of trees to use for animals and humans, but the writing is superb. Published in 1929 and revised in 1950, the author pulls no punches in discussing why tree crops have been ignored (nearly all of which is just as true today).
He's also remarkably woke, especially so given the time period. Also well-traveled, with tree crop case studies and examples from Asia, Africa, and Central & South America in addition to Europe and the US.
Some of the chapters on specific trees dragged a bit, but his sharp, witty, succinct writing style carried me through.
If you're curious about growing trees instead of or in addition to an annual garden, this book will educate and excite you!
Not only is this book full of trees to use for animals and humans, but the writing is superb. Published in 1929 and revised in 1950, the author pulls no punches in discussing why tree crops have been ignored (nearly all of which is just as true today).
He's also remarkably woke, especially so given the time period. Also well-traveled, with tree crop case studies and examples from Asia, Africa, and Central & South America in addition to Europe and the US.
Some of the chapters on specific trees dragged a bit, but his sharp, witty, succinct writing style carried me through.
If you're curious about growing trees instead of or in addition to an annual garden, this book will educate and excite you!
May 20, 2018
An excellent introduction to potential perennial tree crops, and their application in agriculture, focusing on the production of animal fodder and feed. Particularly notable for the close study of existing practices of the era, before machine agriculture swept so many world traditions aside. Smith provides both accounts of his own travels to personally witness many of the worlds wonders of agroforstry, and also shares letters he solicited from various farmers telling their experiences with different productive trees.
Possibly the most valuable book I have read on tree crops for a temperate climate.
Possibly the most valuable book I have read on tree crops for a temperate climate.
August 10, 2023
Probably more excited about orchards than anyone before or since.
A good reminder that every plant is different. Every fruit or nut tree has the potential to be a new sensation. There are no species in the garden of Eden; each tree is unique, the potential progenitor of a different civilization.
A good reminder that every plant is different. Every fruit or nut tree has the potential to be a new sensation. There are no species in the garden of Eden; each tree is unique, the potential progenitor of a different civilization.
September 26, 2017
A very fascinating book for anyone interested in nature, trees, and growing things. I learned a lot of things I hadn't known about which trees could potentially be valuable as crops.
May 30, 2019
Good book on agroforestry!!
September 6, 2020
What a bizarre paradigm.
Want to read
March 11, 2024book recommended by Justin Holt during No-till podcast interview 3/2024
Want to read
March 19, 2024Recommended by Mark Shepard
January 29, 2025
How to change the world one farm at a time. An excellent and timely read, even though the author penned it in 1950.
September 28, 2024
A look at examples of tree species and their use as crops as food in the United States. The rationale includes better soil health, improved water retention, use of lands where other crops would be difficult, more economic self-managed feeding for farm animals, the addition of a second layer of leaves to harvest sunlight and convert it to food, low maintenance, additional revenue streams, etc.
January 14, 2015
Though written almost a century ago, this book is still just as relevant concerning erosion control, food production on limited space, multi-tier agriculture, and the bleak prospects provided by ploughing away fertile soil. The shocking and alarming truth is, however, that not much has happened since this book was written, and all the potential the author mentions throughout the book is still something for our own future to be implemented. Maybe this book is more relevant today than when it was written.
July 21, 2009
Excellent book for lovers of trees and foods that come from trees.
to-read-eventually
July 25, 2010I've been told this book is very important. And I found a free e-book. So I guess I'll read it.
September 25, 2012
Great, gave me all kinds of ideas.
May 27, 2017
This book would have had a much larger impact had its publication not coincided with the rise of industrial agriculture and the decline of the mixed crop and livestock farm.
Read
January 21, 2017This book politely tells us that we have been completely fooled. Don't laugh at the stupidity of the people who followed the Pied Piper when we have spent our lives working to harvest annual crops at unfathomable expense of resources, time and energy. We could have planted tree crops and had animals harvest the crops yearly for us and fertilize the ground that is becoming more productive because it was left to its own devices.
Example: my own, not the author's
Option 1: Buy farm ground, pay interest and taxes, buy equipment to till, plant, and harvest, buy fertilizer to redeem the ground after it has been decimated by above. Pay lots of interest and purchase supplies for upkeep. Work very hard to get crops planted, sprayed, harvested. Buy filtered water and food at the store because there is no food produced at home. Try to figure out what to do about our toxic environment. Repeat.
Option 2: Buy farm ground, pay interest and taxes. Plant tree crops. Nurture tree crops. Purchase animals to harvest them and they will keep the landscape cleared of weeds as WELL AS fertilize the ground. You fish. Swim. Picnic. Read. Invite friends over. Enjoy life.
Read this book before you are old like me.
Example: my own, not the author's
Option 1: Buy farm ground, pay interest and taxes, buy equipment to till, plant, and harvest, buy fertilizer to redeem the ground after it has been decimated by above. Pay lots of interest and purchase supplies for upkeep. Work very hard to get crops planted, sprayed, harvested. Buy filtered water and food at the store because there is no food produced at home. Try to figure out what to do about our toxic environment. Repeat.
Option 2: Buy farm ground, pay interest and taxes. Plant tree crops. Nurture tree crops. Purchase animals to harvest them and they will keep the landscape cleared of weeds as WELL AS fertilize the ground. You fish. Swim. Picnic. Read. Invite friends over. Enjoy life.
Read this book before you are old like me.
Read
March 3, 2019Read chapters 1-3 and 23-24 for class.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews