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Hermester Barrington, February 11, 2008

Life affirming scientific case studies of vegetable life

It is an axiom oft stated that the magic of one century becomes the science of the next. This overly hopeful idea of how perceptions of human knowledge change in time is not supported by this book. Ideas seen as magical are not inevitably accepted by mainstream scientists; instead, theories and practices proven by experiment are routinely denied admission into the halls of academe, because of they support a science of life rather than one of death, and envision a universe which is alive and fertile, a living organism in fact, rather than one which is dead and brittle, made up of pieces with which scientists can play as if they were Tinkertoys.

Tompkins and Bird present this thesis by means of a number of case studies of thinkers at the vanguard of botanical thought. Among these actors in this new study of plant life are Cleve Backster, who showed that plants can sense the emotions of humans; Luther Burbank, who demonstrated that plants will grow to please members of our race; and various researchers who proved that plants will respond to music, growing toward the music of Bach and fleeing that of Led Zeppelin. These experiments prove conclusively that the standard definition of plants as insensible is inaccurate.

These experiments are only the surface of this book, however, the intent of which is not only to do away with old thinking on this matter, but also to inform us or perhaps just to remind us that the entire planet is alive, and that it is for the good of the planet that we begin to feed ourselves in a simpler manner. The authors accordingly provide case studies of farmers, such as J. Rodale, who raise healthy crops without artificial fertilizers or pesticides. These crops have a far greater output than do those raised by conventional methods, because the earth responds to the simpler methods better than to the harsh materialistic approaches advocated by the government and by fertilizer manufacturers.

This book, then, will show those willing to see that plants not only can communicate with us, but that they also are willing to work with humanity to return us to Eden, or more prosaically, that through methods less harmful to the environment and less expensive than commercial fertilizers, farmers can raise crops which surpass the abundance of those raised by conventional methods. There are a few cases, such as those in the chapter on radionic pesticides, which were not supported by sufficient evidence to prove their points, but in general this book demonstrates that plants are indeed more alive than we suspected, and are our willing helpmates in all aspects of life, if we would but listen. Recommended for all who work with plants, and for those who already believe in the living universe, and who want to see scientific confirmation of that fact.

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