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A Manual on Dog Care
by Dr. Gautam Unny
Rupa, New Delhi. Pages xii+146.
Rs. 195.
 Dog’s are great
friends. They stand by you through thick and thin. Help you
overcome the blues. Provide you with a beautiful companionship
since they can instinctively empathise with you, and even
entertain you. There are all sorts of dogs. The desi variety
that is sturdy and resistant to tropical heat and related
ailments; or the phoren one that needs great care and protection
from the vagaries of our climate.
The author says
there's no unanimity over original ancestors (wolves, jackals or
the dingo?) of the modern-day dog. Though the wolf theory is
most popular, some consider the dog as a hybrid of all the
three. There are three types of dogs, i.e., the wild, the feral
that reverted from its domesticated status to become wild, and
the pet. Although dogs made their debut on this planet about
fifteen million years ago, they were domesticated only about
years ago. Originally, they acted as scavengers-cum-security
guards, clearing up the garbage around the human habitat and
fiercely protecting the dwellings. Later on, they became useful
as hunters due to their superior speed, smell and vision.
Gradually, over centuries, man began to work on breeding the
canines while tinkering with their genetic traits.
After giving this
background Unny details the various diseases that might affect
dogs. He also dwells upon their behavioral problems. There are
separate chapters on veterinary care, care of the pup,
nutrition, dog behavior and training, dog shows etc. If you love
dogs you cannot afford to ignore this book.
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Advances in
Potato Science
by R.K. Maiti and V.P.
Singh The Gaurav
Society, Hisar. Pages viii+401. Rs. 750.
 Potato is
considered as poor man's source of nutrition. It was Europe's
anti-famine food before it became staple. In Asia and Africa it
is a co-staple. The world over, it was earlier looked upon as a
highland subsistence crop. Mostly tasteless, it can be consumed
in a variety of ways—boil it, bake it, roast it, use it as an
ingredient of a curry recipe or make potato curry itself. It
lends taste and texture to your daily food. Out of more than
2000 odd varieties of potatoes the world over, only seven are
cultivated and the rest grow as wild herbs and shrubs. Out of
the seven cultivable ones only one, the Solanum tuberosum L, is
grown throughout the world. The other six are grown only in
South America.
It originated in
South America's Andes Mountains, where it was being grown for
over 13,000 years. In 1570 it reached Spain and thence to other
European countries. It was introduced into India in 1610, China
in 1700 and Japan in 1766. It reached North America only in
early 1700s courtesy the Scotch-Irish immigrants.
Wild potatoes are
found at altitudes ranging from sea level to over 4000 meters
with widely different temperatures, day-lengths and water
availability. Some species are found over a wide geographical
area, while others are restricted to a particular region. The
vegetable grows everywhere - the semi-deserts, rain forests, and
the temperate climes. The authors point out that perhaps the
most curious wild potato of all is one that grows on the mossy
branches of oak trees!
Chapters like
Physiology of Potato Plant, Mineral Nutrition of Potato, Potato
Biotechnology etc are most informative. Great reference work for
students and research scholars.
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HEALTH
is essential for our happiness, but the human body is susceptible to
various ailments. Reasons can vary from stress to genetic disorders
to a sedentary lifestyle. Though modern medicine has made tremendous
progress, yet, despite sophisticated diagnostic techniques, it has
been unable to provide a cure to all the ailments. Then, there are
certain treatments that are either costly or have side-effects that
are often worse than the original malady.
