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Sir Albert Howard (8 December 187320 October 1947) was an English botanist, an organic farming pioneer, and a principal figure in the early organic movement. He is considered by many in the English-speaking world to have been, along with Rudolf Steiner and Eve Balfour, one of the key founders of modern organic agriculture.〔 ebook ISBN 978-1-84593-289-3〕 ==Life== Albert Howard was born at Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. He was the son of Richard Howard, a farmer, and Ann Howard, née Kilvert. He was educated at Wrekin College, Royal College of Science, South Kensington, and as Foundation Scholar, at St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1896, he graduated in Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where he also obtained a Diploma of Agriculture in 1897. In 1899, he lectured in Agricultural Science at Harrison College, Barbados, and in 1899 and 1902, was a Mycologist and Agricultural Lecturer at the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies. From 1903-1905, he was Botanist to the South-Eastern Agricultural College, Wye; and from 1905–1924, he was Imperial Economic Botanist to the Government of India. In 1914, he was created a Companion of the Indian Empire (C.I.E.), and received a Silver Medal of the Royal Society of Arts in 1920. From 1924-1931, Howard was Director of the Institute of Plant Industry, Indore, and Agricultural Adviser to States in Central India and Rajputana. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1928, and in 1930 received the Barclay Memorial Medal of that society. He was knighted in 1934, and made an Honourable Fellow of the Imperial College of Science in 1935.〔 (pdf version )〕 Howard worked in India as agricultural adviser〔Rebecca Jones, ''Green Harvest: The History of Organic Farming and Gardening in Australia'', Colingwood, Victoria: Csiro Publishing, 2010, p. 3〕 and was in charge of a government research farm at Indore.〔 〕 He worked together with Gabrielle Matthaei (1876–1930), and her sister Louise (1880–1969). He married Gabrielle in 1905. After her death, he married Louise in 1931.〔〔 ebook ISBN 978-1-84593-289-3〕 Gabrielle was herself a professionally trained and competent botanist,〔 and indeed the contribution of both women to organic farming is said to be underestimated.〔 Howard observed and came to support traditional Indian farming practices over conventional agricultural science. Though he journeyed to India to teach Western agricultural techniques he found that the Indians could in fact teach him more. One important aspect he took notice of was the connection between healthy soil and the villages' healthy populations, livestock and crop. Patrick Holden, Director of the UK Soil Association quoted Howard as saying "the health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible." He was president of the 13th session of the Indian Science Congress in 1926. Howard has been called the father of modern composting, for his refinement of a traditional Indian composting system into what is now known as the Indore method. He went on to document and develop organic farming techniques, and spread his knowledge through the UK-based Soil Association, and the Rodale Institute in the US. His 1940 book, ''An Agricultural Testament'', is a classic organic farming text. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining humus, keeping water in the soil, and the role of mycorrhiza. It was his first book aimed at the general public, and is his best popularly known work. However his 1931 book ''The Waste Products of Agriculture'', based on 26 years of studying improved crop production in Indian smallholdings, is considered by some as his most important scientific publication.〔 His 1945 book ''Farming and Gardening for Health or Disease'' was also intended for a general audience, and was republished in 1947 as ''The Soil and Health: A Study of Organic Agriculture''.〔 Howard's work influenced and inspired many farmers and agricultural scientists who furthered the organic movement, including Lady Eve Balfour (the Haughley Experiment, ''The Living Soil'') and J.I. Rodale (Rodale Institute). Howard advocated studying the forest in order to farm like the forest. He devoted the last half of his career to understanding that end, presaging those contemporary ecologists who advocate the understanding of the interface between ecology and agriculture.〔 (JSTOR citation for page accuracy )〕 Indeed, Howard is grouped, along with Rudolf Steiner,〔 Sir Robert McCarrison and Richard St. Barbe Baker, as one of the key progenitors of the organic agriculture movement.〔Lotter, D.W. 2003.("Organic agriculture" ) J. Sustainable Agriculture 21(4)〕 (However he says, in the Preface to 'An Agricultural Testament', 'Some attention has also been paid to the Bio-Dynamic methods of agriculture in Holland and in Great Britain, but I remain unconvinced that the disciples of Rudolf Steiner can offer any real explanation of natural laws or have yet provided any practical examples which demonstrate the value of their theories.'〔(An Agricultural Testament )〕) 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Albert Howard」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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