When you say can be easily read via translation app, how does that process work for you / what do you use? I'm interested in these as the pictures may be informative as well, it's just a lot to drop if important details are in text I'm never going to understand. I have a pretty strong hunch I want to know what's in these books, it's more a matter of if I can get at it, hahah!
I use the Google Translation app. I attached to explain the app. My preferred method is the one described in #4
1 - Image of the original text (random page from the maple volume)
2 - This is what the app interface looks like. On the bottom, you have options for either INSTANT or SCAN translation
3 - This is an example of the INSTANT translation. I focused on the main body of text. As you move your camera over the page, the words are translated instantly.
4 - This is an example of the SCAN translation. You essentially take a picture of the page, and the app scans it for text. You can then highlight what text you would like translated by passing over it with your finger. The original Japanese text and the translation appear at the top of the screen, which allows you to select and copy-paste the Japanese if you need to -- this can be useful if a translation of an important piece of information is unclear, and you've like to paste the Japanese text into a translation website or another app, to compare the English translations.
It definitely requires that you sit down with cup of coffee, slow down, and enjoy the process of discovering information as the text is gradually revealed to you. I regularly read through entire text-heavy and jargon-heavy books in Japanese on bonsai and agriculture (Ume), and I find it very worthwhile. It's definitely a change of pace from being spoon fed by Ryan and Bjorn, which I also enjoy, but it's a lot of very good information that you won't find elsewhere. (The bonsai Senka books are very good too!)
