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Home Library Encyclopedia Topically Arrangged and Indexed Volume 3 Agriculture and Industry

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Agriculture and industry are the practical framework of modern society. Since the dawn of history man has always been dependent on agriculture to provide him with the food he needs to subsist. For many centuries, however, man labored in the fields with only the simplest farming implements to help him bring forth the products of the soil. The hardworking farmer had all he could do to provide sufficient food for his own family. With the Industrial Revolution, farm machinery improved methods of planting, sowing and reaping, making it possible for the farmer to harvest larger crops. The application of science to agriculture taught him how to grow better crops while making maximum use of his land. The first section of this volume, Agriculture and the Food Industries, concentrates on how man has applied science and technology to improve methods of agriculture, as well as the related food industries.
Modern industry, too, is dependent on the technological advances made in the last 150 years. The miner who extracts from the earth nature's raw materials, such as coal, iron, and copper, uses machinery and techniques unknown to his ancestors. The section on Mining discusses how the important mineral ores are extracted from the earth and refined.
The modern factory system, with its techniques of mass production, has intimately affected the lives of thousands of workers throughout the world. The small shops of artisans and craftsmen have largely given way to giant manufacturing plants where intricate machinery performs the work previously done by hand. The methods of manufacturing used in the major industries are discussed in the section on Manufacturing.
Engineering, likewise, has made its contribution to modern industrial society. Manmade dams have provided vast electrical power for industrial usage and water to irrigate farms that once were dry, barren fields. Bridges, roads and turnpikes have made it possible to transport agricultural produce and manufactured articles thousands of miles. These and other engineering feats are discussed in the section on Engineering.
Improvements in transportation have also helped revolutionize agriculture and industry. Today a farmer in the Midwest can transport his produce to all sections of the United States. Iron ore can be transported quickly and cheaply from the mine to manufacturing centers far away. Airplanes even further facilitate the rapid transportation of freight. With the introduction of jet airliners capable of traveling 500 miles an hour and faster, the world has grown even smaller. The new media of communications, radio and television, have made it possible to reach a much larger percentage of the world's population than ever before, enabling mass education as well as developing new demands for products. A discussion of the major communications media is included in the section on Communicotions and Entertainment.
The economic structure of modern industrial society is highly complex. Most factories are no longer owned by single individuals, but rather by many persons who invest their money in stocks and bonds to form corporations. Industries now rely on advertising agencies to help sell their products, and foreign trade has become increasingly important to create a wider market for manufactured goods. These areas of business are discussed in the section on Commerce.
Today it is only the mighty industrial nations that can claim world prominence. Their recognition of the needs of less technologically advanced countries will determine their success in winning allies. The'man without bread for his family, the underdeveloped nation with no means of improving its industrial strength, will ultimately decide the struggle for power existing in the world today between the Communist and the free nations of the world.

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Ketersediaan

R00301

032.iii SCH h

Kampus 2 (Reference Self)

Tersedia namun tidak untuk dipinjamkan - No Loan

Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

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No. Panggil

032.iii SCH h

Penerbit

New York : Parents' Magazine Enterprises, Inc.., 1970

Deskripsi Fisik

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Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

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Klasifikasi

030 Ensiklopedia Umum

Tipe Isi

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Tipe Media

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Tipe Pembawa

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Edisi

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Subjek

Ensiklopedia Umum

Info Detail Spesifik

Ensiklopedi berbahasa Inggris, xxxvi + 409 hal. ilus. 19 x 25 cm. indeks hal. x

Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

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Versi lain/terkait

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