Growing acid-loving plants
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 24, 2008
February 7, 2010: A great article in the Sacramento Bee prompted a flurry of phone calls to our nursery -- can we really grow blueberries here? Here are the issues for gardeners in Davis, Woodland, Dixon, and other communities that rely on groundwater for irrigation. Water from wells is hard and has a high pH.
Oh, those acid-loving plants.
Camellias are the queen of the winter garden - in Sacramento. Azaleas mean spring. Can we grow blueberries? How about true blue hydrangeas? What does "acid-loving plant" mean, anyway?
The issues with Davis water.
What's the problem?
Water in Davis and Woodland is alkaline, meaning it has a high pH, which causes deficiencies of some minerals essential for green leaves and plant growth. When the leaves are yellow between the veins, the plant is deficient in iron. When that yellowing is blotchy, it is lacking magnesium. When the new leaves are smaller than they should be, it is lacking zinc. The water is high in certain salts, which can cause ugly burnt edges on the leaves of some plants.
Note: it isn't always pH that is the problem. Overwatering can damage roots of plants, so they can't take up the minerals. When we see deficiencies on common landscape shrubs such as Escallonia and Nandina, we suspect overwatering.
What are these finicky plants?
Group 1: we can grow these with special soil amendments and additives. If you don't fertilize them regularly and/or treat the soil with pH reducers, they will get anemic and fail to thrive.
o Blueberries
o Camellias
o Gardenias
o Hydrangeas (more on flower color below)
o Lesser-known ornamentals include Loropetalum and Pieris
o Some specialty conifers: Cryptomeria, Chamaecyparis
o Azaleas can get chronically anemic and are prone to crown rot, but may be successful for a couple of years.
o Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) prefer acidic soil conditions, but most of the leaf damage attributed to our water on these small trees is actually caused by hot, dry summer weather.
Group 2: these shrubs and trees often show persistent deficiencies.
o Deciduous magnolias: Saucer magnolia (M. soulangeana), Star magnolia (M. stellata), and others. Deficiencies are common but correctible, and these are worth growing for the showy spring bloom.
o Citrus and rose leaves often show iron deficiency, and sometimes show magnesium and zinc deficiency.
Group 3: chronic deficiencies and leaf burn make these plants ugly. Not recommended.
o Dogwood (Cornus florida). Some species of Cornus grow here, but not these showy-flowered types.
o Rhododendrons.
o Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and Sour gum (Nyssa sylvatica, also called Tupelo).
Soil chemistry: what's going on?
It isn't that the important minerals aren't present in the soil. Adding more iron, magnesium, or zinc won't correct the problem. As the soil gets more alkaline, they become insoluble.
One example. Iron is taken up by plants as a positive ion (Fe++) via ion exchange on the root surface. Hydroxide (OH-) is more abundant in alkaline soil. Hydroxide combines with the iron ions the plant needs, creating iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)2) - which the plant can't absorb.
Well-meaning gardeners can make the problem worse by applying too much fertilizer, or the wrong type. For example, excess phosphorus can make iron unavailable, and vice versa. It's easier to correct the soil pH than to try to add a specific mineral. Transplanted east-coast gardeners need to know that since lime raises soil pH, we don't apply it here at all.
So, what to do?
Make the soil more acidic. The technical term is to acidulate the soil.
Applying sulfur is the simplest way to go: elemental sulfur will react with soil microbes to produce sulfuric acid and hydrogen. While this happens fastest during warm weather, it's ok to apply sulfur any time of year.
For acid-loving shrubs and trees, add a couple of cups of soil sulfur to each planting hole, mixed thoroughly with the backfill soil at the time of planting. When treating an entire bed, apply 5 - 10 lbs. per 100 sq. ft. Mixing it in to the soil increases contact with the microbes, giving faster results than broadcasting it on the surface. Then to follow up, broadcast granular sulfur around established plants each season. Raking it in, or covering it with mulch, gets the soil microbes working on it faster.
Many fertilizers contain sulfur, indicated by the "sulfate" in the name or in the list of sources on the guaranteed analysis. Each has special uses, as well as possible drawbacks.
o It takes 8 times as much iron sulfate to achieve the same results as soil sulfur.
o Aluminum sulfate (used to turn hydrangeas blue), if used in large quantities, can lead to an excess of aluminum which can cause other nutrient deficiencies.
o Ammonium sulfate packs a wallop of nitrogen due to the ammonia content; this inexpensive lawn food, misused, has fried a lot of lawns via overdose!
Synthetic fertilizers labeled for acid-loving plants get most of their important nutrients from sulfate-based sources. Cottonseed meal is an excellent organic fertilizer that makes soil more acidic.
Adding organic material (i.e., compost) makes minerals available to plants by an indirect route. Decomposition of organic material creates humic acid, which loosely binds (the technical term is chelates) those important positive ions of iron, magnesium, etc., making them available for the plant roots. The humic acid keeps the iron and other ions from precipitating out into those insoluble forms.
So to counter the effects of a summer of watering with our hard alkaline water:
o You want the soil around the roots to be providing sulfuric acid and humic acid. Both of these are created slowly but steadily during warm weather when there is sulfur and organic material mixed in the soil.
o Additional sulfur and mulch can be put on the surface around established plants. Scatter sulfur and add a couple of inches of bark mulch each spring or summer.
o Leaves and pine needles can be spread around the plants in fall to decompose.
o Fertilizers containing sulfates can be applied per the package instructions during the growing season (read the label!), but don't rely exclusively on them to lower soil pH.
Miscellaneous remedies.
Weak vinegar solutions, and epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) are sometimes used, providing short-term correction to the pH. Some soil amendments are naturally low in pH: peat moss is widely used when planting camellias and azaleas, though it is a little pricey here since we are far from the peat bogs. Coffee grounds are helpful.
How about avoiding the hard water in the first place? Collecting enough rainwater to provide for a whole season isn't very practical, unless you build a cistern.
Toxicity: boron.
Boron gets blamed for a lot of the problems caused by high pH. "You can't grow camellias in Davis because of the boron!" Well, no: we can grow camellias with effort, and it is mostly just the alkaline water supply that is the problem. Boron is not our primary problem here.
Natural borax deposits in the soils of the coastal mountain range erode and dissolve into the creeks that replenish our ground water. Plants require boron in very small quantities, but it is toxic to some plants at high levels. It doesn't help that many fertilizer manufacturers, trying to include everything plants might need, add boron!
Boron passes readily through the plant and accumulates in the leaves. It takes a couple of years for the boron to build up in the leaf to toxic levels, so deciduous plants drop their leaves before any damage is visible. The most common toxicity symptom is black edges on older leaves of certain broad-leaved evergreens; for example, on evergreen Magnolia (M. grandiflora) and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo). It's ugly, but not harmful.
What to do?
Boron is soluble. Water deeply and thoroughly. I know, I know: the water you are using contains more boron. But the problem results from shallow waterings, as from a drip system, leaving a buildup of boron salts in the root zone. These salts are often visible on the edge of the watering zone. A good long soak dissolves a bunch of that boron and carries it past the root zone. So does winter rainfall.
What's the deal with hydrangeas?
How does the soil make the flowers blue or pink?!
Ok, more chemistry. Some red and blue flower pigments have very similar chemical structures, and in the case of hydrangeas the molecule can undergo a reversible change in the plant based on the pH of the sap. When the soil around the plant's roots is alkaline, the plant sap becomes slightly alkaline, creating the pink pigment in the flower. When the soil is acidic, so is the plant's sap; the molecule sheds a couple of ions and becomes a different pigment - blue this time. If the pH is neutral, a different pigment is formed, this one mauve in color.
Because we are constantly watering hydrangeas with alkaline water here, it is a challenge to get the blue pigment in the plant as the flower buds are forming. Aluminum sulfate is used (in very small quantities) for this purpose because it causes a quick drop in soil pH. Sulfur added to the soil reacts too slowly to achieve the pigment change within a single season. Apply the aluminum sulfate as the shrub leafs out in the spring, and then again every couple of weeks until you see flower buds. Results vary.
Are there any plants that prefer an alkaline soil and water?
Plants native to arid climates tend to tolerate alkaline conditions. Many references indicate that lilacs also do, and they certainly grow well here.
City of Davis water quality reports are available online here
The pH of Davis water in 2007 averaged 8.3, Woodland 8.23. 7.0 is neutral, less than 7.0 is acidic, greater than 7.0 is alkaline.
Here is the Sacramento Bee article: http://www.sacbee.com/165/story/2516673.html
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9
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10
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a) Late blight of potato f) Leaf spot of rice.
b) Smuts (Wheat, Jowar) g) Citrus cancer
c) Rust of wheat h) Bacterial blight of paddy.
d) Leaf spot of groundnut. i) Angular leaf spot of cotton.
e) Paddy blast. j) Mosaic of Tobacco.
3. Mycoplasma.
4. Control of plant diseases (A general account)
III. Algae (Phycology)
1. Introduction and general classification of Algae.
2. Criteria for the classification.
3. Thallus organization in Algae.
4. Economic importance of Algae.
5. General characters, structure, Reproduction, pigments, phylogeny, life cycles etc., of main groups in
Algae with reference to Genera Given:
(a)
Cyanophyceae (Nostoc, Scytonema, Oscillatoria).
(b)
Chlorophyceae (Chlamydomonas, Volvox, Cladeopora, Oedogonium, Coleochaete, Chara).
(c) Bacillariaphyceae – General Account.
(d)
Xanthophyceae – Vautheria]
(e)
Phaeophyceae (Ectocarpus, Laminaria)
(f) Rhedophyceae (Polysiphonia, Gracillaria)
IV. Fungi (Mycology):
1. General Characters of fungi. Occurrence and thallus structure of fungi. Nutritional aspects of Fungi
(Saprophytism, parasitism, Symbiosis). Modes of reproduction (Sexual and Asexual). Life cycle in
fungi. Criteria for classification of fungi. Classificatory systems.
2. General characters, morphology, reproduction, phylogeny, affinities etc., of the following : main groups
with special reference to Genera given below:
a) Mytomycetes (stemonites).
b) Plasmodiophoromycetes (Plasmodiphora).
c) Mastigormycotina (Saprolegnia, Phytopthera).
d) Zygomycotina (Mucor).
e) Ascomycotina (Taphnina Eurotium, Erysiphe, Pleospora Neuropora).
f) Basidiomycotina (Puccinia, Agaricus).
g) Deuteromycotina (Cercospora, Colletotrichum, Phoma).
3. Economic importance of Fungi.
V. Bryophyta:
1. General characters of Bryophyta.
2. Sporophyte evolution in Bryophytes.
3. Classification of Bryophytes.
4. General account of the following main groups.
a) Hepaticopsida, (b) Anthoceratopsida, (c) Bryopsida.
5. Structure, reproduction and systematics of the following genera:
a) Marchantia, (b) Anthoceros, (c) Sphagmum (d) Funaria.
VI. Pteridophyta:
1. General characters of pteridophytes.
2. Classification of pteridophytes.
3. General characters of the following main groups:
a) Psilopsida; b) Lycopsida; c) Sphenopsida (Eusporangiate and Leptosporangiates):
4. Morphology, anatomy, reproduction and affinities of the following genera:
a) Psilotum; b) Lycopodium; c) Selaginella; d) Ophioglostum; e) Marsilea; f) Pteris.
11
VII. Palaeobotany:
1. Fossil pteridophytes .
2. Origin and evolution of land plants.
3. Homospory, Heterospory and Origin of Seed.
4. Telome theory and origin of sporophyte.
5. General account of the following fossil Gymnosperms.
a) Pteridosperms; b) Bennittitales; c) Cordaitales; d) Pentoxylales.
VIII. Gymnosperms:
1. Gymnosperms.
2. Comparative account of morphology, life history, Affinities etc. of the following:
a) Cycadophyta – Cycas, Zarnia,
b) Coniferophyta – Pinus.
c) Ginkgophyta – Gintgo.
d) Chlamydospermatophyta : Ephedra, Welwetschia, Gnetum.
3. Classification of Gymnosperms.
IX. Taxonomy of Angiosperms:
1. Systems of classification: - Hutchinson, Takhtajan, Bessey, Engler and Prantl, Bentham and Hooker.
2. Principles of taxonomy:- Criteria of classification, categories of classification, Diversity of Phyletic
concepts.
3. International code of Botanical nomenclature, principles, Typification, Citation and authority.
4. Recent trends in Taxonomy:
a) Biosystematics; b) Chemataxonomy; c) Serodiagnostic test and classification,
d) Numerical taxonomy.
5. Study of the following families with reference to their characterstics, economic importance, attributes
etc.,
a) Ranuculacease, e) Malvaceae, i) Apocynaceae, m) Solanaceae,
b) Caryophyllaceae, f) Tiliacee, j) Asclepiadaceae, n) Euphorbiaceae,
c) Sterculiaceae, g) Rubiaceae, k) Boraginaceae, o) Poaceae.
d) Sapotaceae, h) Compositae, l) Convolvulaceae,
X. Anatomy and Cell Biology:
1. Ultra structure of the cell and cell organelles along with their functions.
2. Cell wall structure.
3. Tissue and Tissue systems.
4. Meristems – Shoot and root apices.
5. Normal and anamolom Secondary growth.
XI. Embryology:
1. Concept of primitive flower.
2. Development of anther and ovule.
3. General account of Embryosac and types of Embryo.
4. Fertilization.
5. Endosperm morphology and types.
6. Polyembryony and apomixis.
XII. Cytology, Genetics and Evolution:
1. Mitosis and Meiosis.
2. Chromosome (Morphology, Structures importance etc.).
3. Concept of gene, laws of inheritance gene action.
4. Genetic code.
5. Linkage and crossing over.
6. Parasexuality.
7. General account of Mutations
8. Polyploidy and its role in crop improvement.
9. Origin of life.
XII. Ecology and Phytogeography :
1. Ecosystem: - Concept, boitic and abiotic components, ecological pyramids, productivity.
2. Geo-chemical cycles.
(Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulphur, Phosphorous cycles).
3. Plant succession – Xerosere and Hydrosere.
4. Floristic regions of the world.
5. Floristic zones of India.
12
XIV. Physiology:
1. Absorption and translocation of water.
2. Transpiration and stomatal behaviour.
3. Absorption and uptake of Ions, Donnan’s equilibrium.
4. Role of micronutrients in plant growth.
5. Translocation of solutes.
6. Respiration (Glycolysis, pentose phosphate shunt, structure and role of mitochondria, Krebs cycle,
Oxidative phosphorylation, Photorespiration, Respiratory quotient, Fermentation, Pasteur effect
Factors affecting).
7. Photosynthesis: - light and dark reaction, Red drop, Emerson effect, Two pigment systems,
Mechanism of Hydrogen transfer, Calvin cycle, Enzymes of CO2 reduction, Hatch a slack cycle C4
cycle, CAM Pathway, Factors affecting photosynthesis, Pigments.
8. The enzymes: Nomenclature and classification, structure and composition, Mode of enzyme action,
Factors affecting.
9. Nitroge, Metabolism and bio, synthesis of proteins Nitrogen fixation, Nitrogen cycle, (Physical and
biological) Nitrogen assimilation Amino acid, metabolism, Biosynthesis of proteins.
10. Plant hormones Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Abscissic acid (General account).
XV. Economic Botany:
1. Cultivation, economic importance, systematic position and morphology of the following plants.
(a) Rice (e) Sugarcane (I) Coffee (m) Rauwolfia
(b) Wheat (f) Groundnut (j) Tea (n) Pigeon pea
(c) Jowar (g) Sun flower (k) Jute (o) Pearl millet.
(d) Cotton (h) Castor (l) Cardamom
XVI. Recent Aspects of Botany:
1. Modern techniques
a) Electron microscopy, e) Electrophoresis
b) Phase contrast microscopy f) The tracer technique
c) Spectro photometry g) Auto radiography
d) Chromatography h) Sero-diagnostic methods.
2. Genetic engineering.
3. Plant tissue culture.
4. Alternative sources of Energy.
5. Social forestry.
6. Microorganisms as tools in understanding biological systems.
7. Environmental pollution (Water, soil, air) health hazards and control.
13
ZOOLOGY
Non-chordata and Chordata:
Non-Chordata:
1. Protozoa-Classification of protozoa (Honigberg), Locomotion in Protozoa, Nutrition in protozoa,
Reproduction in protozoa, Diseases of Protozoa, Economic importance of Protozoa.
2. Porifera: Canal system in porifera, skeleton in porifera, Reproduction in sponges.
3. Coelenterata : Polymorphism in coelenteratas, Metagenesis coral formation, etenophora.
4. Hemlinths: Common Helminthic parasites of Man – Taenia solium, Schistosoma sp., Ascaris,
Ancylostoma, Oxyuris Loa, Trichinella, Strongyloides – their life cycles, Parasitism.
5. Annelida: Excretory system in Annelida, Coelome formation.
6. Arthropoda: Mouthparts of Insects, crustacean larvae, parasitisim in crustacea, useful and harmful
insects, Metamorphosis in insects. Apiculture and sericulture in India.
7. Mollusca: Respiritation in Mollusca, Torsion and Detorsion, pearl formation and Pearl industry.
8. Echinodermata: Echinoderm larvae.
CHORDATA:
Origin of Chordata, phylogeny and affinities of Hemichordata Retrogressive metamorphosis,
Comparative account of Respiratory, Circulatory, Excretory and Reproductive systems of
Vertebrates. Pisciculture in India, Common edible fishes of A.P., Origin and classification of
Amphibia, Paedogenesis.
Temporal fossae in Reptilia, Important snakes of India, Dinosaurs.
Adaptations of flight in birds, Migration of birds. Poultry in India.
Adaptive radiation in Mammals, Aquatic Mammals, useful Mammals, Dentition in Mammals.
Evolution of placentalia.
Cell Biology Genetics, Physiology, Evolution, Embryology, Histology, Ecology.
Cell Biology: Ultra structure of the Cell-Plasma membrane – Mitochondria, Golgibodies, Nucleus,
Endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes. Chromosomes and their fine structure. Mitosis and meiosis-
D.N.A. & R.N.A. and geneic code, Protein synthesis.
Genetics: Mendel’s law of inheritance – Critical review. Linkage, crossing over, Sex linked
inheritance, Mutations, Inborn errors of Metabolism, Human genetics.
Physiology: Vitamins; Enzymes; Carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism; Osmoregulation,
Thermoregulation; Excretion in Vertebrates; Muscle contraction; Nerve Impulse; vertebrate
harmones and Mammalian reproduction.
Evolution: Origin of life – Modern concepts, theories of Evolution, Isolation, Speciation, Natural
Selection, Hardy weinberg'’ Law, Population genetics and evolution, Adaptations, Evolution of Man.
Zoogeographical realms of the world.
Embryology: Cleavage patterns; Gastrulation and its significance in development of vertebrates;
Formation and functions of Foetal membranes, Types of placenta, organisers, Regeneration, genetic
control of development organogenesis of central nervous system, sense organs, heart and kidney of
vertebrate embryos.
Histology: Histology of Mammalian tissues and organs – Epithelial, connective, blood, bone,
cartilage, skin, stomach, intestine, liver, pancreas, kidney, Testis and ovary.
Ecology: Concept of Ecosystem, Biogoechemical cycles, influence of environmental factors on
animals, energy flow in Ecosystem, food chains & Tropic levels, community ecology. Ecological
Succession, Environmental Pollution – Air, water, land, Noise, Radioactive, thermal and Visual,
Effects of Pollution on ecosystem, Prevention of Pollution.
Wild life in India – Conservation.
Man & Biosphere Programme – Chipko movement.
14
HISTORY
Ancient India:
1. Harappan Civilisation -- Extent, major cities, Characterstic features, social and economic conditions,
script, religious paractices, causes for the decline.
2. Vedic Age: Importance of Vedic literature, political, social and economic conditions in the early and
later vedic age.
th
3. India in the 6
Century B.C.: Social and economic conditions, Rise and spread of jainism and
Bhuddhism.
4. Mauryan Age: political history of the Mauryans, Ashoka, Mauryan Administration, Social and
economic conditions, decline of the Mauryan empire.
5. The Sathavahanas: political history, administration, contribution to the culture.
6. Gupta period: Political history, administration, social and economic conditions, growth of culture,
decline of the empire.
th
7. India in the 7
Century A.D.: Harsha vardhana, Pallavas and Chalukyas, their political history and
their contribution to culture.
Medieval India:
8. India between 650 and 1200 A.D. -- political, Social and economic conditions, Chola administration
and culture, Sankaracharya.
9. Age of the Delhi Sultanate: (1206-1526), Military and Administrative organisation. Changes in
Society and economy, Bhakthi movement.
10. The Vijayanagar Empire: Origin, History, Krishnadevaraya, Social and economic conditions, growth
of culture, decline.
11. Mughal Age (1556-1707): political history, Akbar, Administration, Social and Economic conditions,
culture, decline of the Mauryan empire Maharattas and Shivaji.
Modern India (1757-1947):
12. Historical forces and factors which led to the establishment of the British power in India -Early
resistance to the British power in India - Hyder Ali, Tippu Sultan, causes for their failure.
13. Evolution of British paramountcy in India: Policies of Wellesley and Dalhousie.
14. Socio-religious reform movements Rajaram Mohan Roy, Dayananda Saraswathi and others.
15. Revolt of 1857: Causes, results, significance.
16. Rise and growth of the Indian National Movement: Birth of the Indian National Congress, the
national movement from 1885 to 1905; movement from 1905 to 1920. Role of Tilak and Annie
Besant; The movement from 1920 to 1947; Emergence of Gandhi; Non-cooperation movement, Salt
Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement.
Freedom movement in Andhra Pradesh with special reference to the role ofAlluri Sitharama Raju
and Tanguturi Prakasam, Revolt against the Nizam's rule in Telengana.
Modern world:
17. Industrial Revolution - Significance and results.
18. American war of Independence courses, significance and results.
19. French Revolution - Courses, significance and effects.
th
20. National Liberation movements in Italy and Germany in the 19
Century - Mazzini, Cavour, Garivildi,
Bismark.
21. I World War - Causes and effects.
22. The Russian Revolution of 1917 - Causes, importance and results.
23. The World between the two world wars - Nazisms in Germany, Fascism in Italy. Turkey under
Mustafa Kamal Pasha
24. Developments in China 1911-1949 – Nationalist Revolution of 1911 – Communist Revolution of
1948
25. II World War -- Causes and effects.
15
POLITICAL SCIENCE
1, State: Theories of origin of State. Rights and Duties, Law, Liberty and Equality. Nation & Nationality
– Forms of Government Press – Pressure Groups and parties
2. Ideologies: Utilitarianism – Individualism – Idealism. Theories of Socialism – Gandhian philosophy
3. Theories of Decision making – Behaviouralism – System Theory, Elite Theory – Structural functional
decision-making and Game Theory.
4. Nature of Indian Constitution – Fundamental Rights – Directive Principles of state policy legislature –
Executive and Judiciary – Judicial Review – Centre-State relations – Problems of National
Integration.
5. United Nations and Collective Security – Concept of power in International Relations – Balance of
Power, Cold-wars détente. Arms Control and Disarmament.
6. Problems of Third World. New Colonialism – Non-alignment India’s role in world affairs.
16
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
1. Meaning and scope of Public Administration – Its relations with other Social Sciences – The Art and
Science of Public Administration
2. Theories of Administration – Classical, Human Relations, Ecological, Systems approach – Decision-
making
3. Concept of Development - Administration and Comparative Administration
4. Concept of Administration: Hierarchy, Span of Control, Co-ordination, Unity of Command,
Centralisation and Decentralisation, Authority and responsibility, Formal and Informal Organisation,
Decision making, Leadership, Administrative Planning, Communication, Work motivation,
Management Information system.
5. Types of Organisation: Departments, Corporations, Independent Regulatory Commissions.
6. Administrative adjudications, Delegated Legislation
7. Controls over Administration – Legislative, Executive, Judicial
8. Personnel Administration – Recruitment, Promotion, All India Services, Political Rights of Civil
Servants – Right to strike – Negotiating Machinery – Generalist versus Specialisits – Controversy,
Citizens Grievances – Lok Ayukta and Lokpal; the A.P. Administrative Tribunal.
9. Financial Administration – Principles of Budgeting, Performance Budgeting, PPBS, Budgeting in
India, Organisation and Role of Finance Ministry
10. Centre- State and State-Local Relations in India
11. Planning in India – Planning Commission, Planning Process at National and State levels – Concept
of Block Planning
12. State Administration – Organisation, Secretariat, Minister – Civil Servant relations – Directorates –
Boards of Revenue, Functional Commissioners, Regional Administration, Divisional Commissioners,
District Administration
13. Local Government; Theories of Local Government – Organisation, Process, Functions and working
of Panchayat Raj Institutions in Andhra Pradesh, Municipal Administration in Andhra Pradesh; Urban
Development Authorities; Official – Non-Official relations in local Government relations.
17
HINDI
I. Study of the following ten authors and poets:
1. Kabir
2. Tusdidas
3. Bihari
4. Surdas
5. Acharya Ramachandra Shukla
6. Premchand
7. Prasad
8. Pant
9. Nirala
10. Dinakar
II. Appreciation of the popular couplets of Tulsi, Kabir, Rahim, Vrinda etc., and a few lines from modern
poets of Prasad, Pant etc.
III. Origin and development of prominent literary genres in modern Hindi, e.g. Novel, Short Story,
Drama, Criticism.
IV. The study of the following eight trends of the history of Hindi Literature.
1. Gyan Margi Shakha
2. Prem Margi Shakha
3. Ram Bhakti Shakha
4. Krishna Bhakti Shakha
5. Riti kavya
6. Chayavada
7. Pragativada
8. Nai Kavita
V. History of various aspects of Hindi Language, eg:
1. Grammatical and lexical features of Apabhransa, Avahatta and early Hindi.
th
2. Evolution of Khari Boli Hindi as literary language during 19
Century
3. Development of Hindi as Rastra Bhasha during freedom struggle and as official
language of Indian Union since Independence.
4. Major Dialects of Hindi and their inter-relationship
5. Functional and significant grammatical features of standard Hindi
6. Origin and development of Devanagari script and its role in standardization of Hindi
language.
18
URDU
01. The study of the following Ten Authors and Poets:
1. Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah 6. Sir Syed.
2. Wali. 7. Hali.
3. Meer. 8. Iqbal.
4. Anees. 9. Premchand.
5. Ghalib. 10. Krishna Chander.
02. Appreciation of couplets of renowned poets.
03. The Study of the following eight trends of the History of Urdu Literature.
1. Development of Urdu under the Qutubshahis, and the Adil Shahis.
2. Delhi School.
3. Lucknow School.
4. Fort William College.
5. Alighar movement.
6. Iqbal and his Age.
7. The Contribution of Jamia Osmania.
8. Impact of progressive movement.
04. Study of various aspects of Language and Literature.
Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:08:45 +0000 |
Krups Coffee Makers Wholesale
The pawpaw grew in George Washington’s and Thomas Jefferson’s gardens. This pear-shaped fruit, something between a banana and a melon in taste, was among the former’s favorite desserts and was popular among the 16,000 apple varieties grown in American orchards at the turn of the century. But today, the pawpaw is on Restoring America’s Fruit Traditions’ (RAFT) list of endangered fruits.
The pawpaw is also one of a dozen varieties of endangered fruit trees that Chicago Rarities Orchard Project (CROP) founder Dave Snyder has grafted and hopes to root in an orchard. Conceived in the summer of 2008, CROP’s goal is to grow and publicize rare fruit varieties. The project currently possesses sixty grafts of rare orchard trees, which are temporarily housed at Honey Coop, an organic bee hive collective in North Lawndale. If things proceed on schedule, the grafts will be planted in a permanent garden space near Logan Square and will be bearing fruit by 2014.
Snyder, CROP’s founder, had no interest in gardening when he moved to Chicago in 2005 to pursue an MFA in creative writing, but his apartment in Avondale happened to be opposite a charity garden that grew organic produce for an AIDS soup kitchen. Snyder used the garden as a stress reliever after long class days and soon became immersed in the city’s community garden network. Interested in utilizing undeveloped land for agricultural purposes, he was inspired by a New York Times article on endangered heirloom apple varieties to start the CROP project. Although community gardening is a widespread practice throughout Chicago, most gardens are small-scale and oriented towards perennial, easily cultivatable vegetables and herbs. Snyder’s CROP project will be the nation’s first urban orchard to focus on rare varieties of fruits.
While environmental reporting brought Snyder to North Lawndale, the neighborhood where CROP’s temporary space is located, Snyder knew he needed a permanent plot in which to cultivate his plants.
“There’s a lot of open space in the city, and for a long while, Chicagoans have been making use of it,” Snyder said. NeighborSpace, an organization that provides educational support for community gardeners and helps to legalize their use of city land, currently aids three hundred community gardens throughout the city, including the charity garden opposite Snyder’s home. Working with NeighborSpace, Snyder found land in Logan Square to plant the grafts that he and his organization have created.
But growing organic trees is only a small part of the CROP project. More important, Snyder said, is spreading consumer awareness and demand for rare varieties of orchard fruits. “If we’re interested in crop preservation, it’s not going to come from growing those trees, it’s going to come from educating people. The real way in which crops are best preserved is not simply getting do-gooders to grow them. It’s making them popular.”
Snyder cites the successful recovery of heirloom tomatoes by organizations like Whole Foods in the late ’90s as an example. Prior to the appearance of Black Crim and Green Zebra tomatoes in Whole Foods’ produce sections across the nation, Snyder said, “people never thought you could sell a fluted tomato.” Snyder hopes the same transition will occur in the way consumers think about orchard fruits.
The project’s emphasis on making rare varieties of fruits more visible makes its prospective location on the highly trafficked Logan Square—adjacent to a local farmers market and Slow Food restaurants like Lula Café that utilize local organic produce—ideal. Snyder hopes that supplying local restaurants, markets, and retailers with lesser-known varieties of apples will heighten consumer consciousness.
Snyder has already gained support from a number of environmentally conscious Chicago-area restaurants and organizations. Uncommon Ground, a hybrid restaurant/bar/art gallery with a rooftop produce garden, is hosting a fundraiser on January 25 for CROP. At the fundraiser, Uncommon Ground will introduce a new Eco-Cocktail which will be added to the restaurant’s menu. Fifty cents from every Eco-Cocktail purchased, as well as all profits from the fundraiser, will be donated to CROP.
You really gotta go! Uncommon Ground Cafe (I visited the one on Devon) is not just organic & hip & lovely, but the menu is interesting too.
The roof top amazes. The space is so lovingly conceived, constructed & tended that I just wanted to camp out. Here you can also see some of the solar panels...and small plants given our spring & summer seasons of first rain & cold and now dry & cold. Veggies like heat.
My adventure companion was Kristen Kepnick, a MELA Board member and director of marketing & special projects at Christy Webber Landscapes. She remarked that perhaps the vegetables in this garden were chosen by their names: example below. Check it out yourself: rooftop tours happen during the Farmer's Market there on Fridays from 4 to 8 pm.
Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:08:41 +0000 |
Pacific Coffee Company
