Re: Should Australia go native?
- Original Message - From: Tony Nelson-Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2002 1:19 AM Subject: Should Australia go native? . He thinks it's time to stop pretending that Australia has a European environment; the introduced garden plants which made early settlers feel at home should be replaced with native species (amongst which he claims there are many equally attractive) and agriculture should stop producing such inappropriate crops as wheat and sheepmeat. He claims that, at current levels of consumption, a population of only 7-8 million could be supported sustainably (as opposed to the current 19 million, let alone the 50 million called for by business by 2050). It sounds persuasive, but I've not heard any arguments against. Hi Tony Just so you wont be dissappointed I'll do it . I dont know flannery or his history but there are plenty of his ilk around and most of em have a couple of things in common # usually never been involved in any form of agriculture for profit # most make their living interfering in the livelihoods of other people in some field that almost never directly impacts on themselves # its normal that the most vocal of them are in secure taxpayer funded work - public "service" or the education system You should by now be able to decide that I am extremely biased Now for the garden plants - some readers will already know that Australian native plants - specially eucalypts - are some of the most inflammable vegetation on earth - a eucalypt forest fire in full flight makes what is happening in the western US at the moment look like a backyard Bar-B-Que - (I apologise to those affected by these fires but its essentially the truth) so at the urging of the flannery brigade we went ahead and planted half suburbia down to Aussie natives then people wonder why we have problems with bushfires. Northern hemisphere ornamental plants make much more sense for most suburban plantings - most of our urban population lives in places with adequate rainfall to grow them - they are in the main fire resistant in summer - and the tree species are a whole lot more attractive in most cases. Our wheat and sheep farming system is equally as appropriate to our landscape as most other extensive farming is anywhere on the planet - the wheat sheep zone of central - southern New South Wales and Victoria is in better shape ecologically than at any time since 1900 - doubters need only go look at photographs of the countryside 1900 to 1945 and their mouths will shut very quickly Tony my ancestors were squeezed (or starved ) out of the western bit of England (Wales) about 1850 - if this character and his mates had their way - you better move over and make some room cause we will have to come back home. You can bet your life that when the population of this country is reduced to its 8 million carrying capacity Mr flannery will not be among the first volunteers to find alternative accommodation. These people have a desperate lack of common sense! of course agriculture is an artificial and un natural system, as is all organised human society. Why dont these people wake up and do something constructive.
Re: 501 and 508 was Re: Nettle tea for insect repellant
Spray 501, it knows what to do. It will moderate excessive heat, or produce flowers for fruit, use it with 508. SStorch
Re: kaolin spray (Nettle tea for insect repellant)
In a message dated 6/28/02 8:12:07 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << can someone tell me what is in this kaolin spray besides clay and what kind of sprayer is needed to apply it? Thanks, Jane >> Hi Jane, this product is derived from kaolinite clay. It has gone through an intense heating process that explodes the individual clay particles so that it does not interfere with light/photosynthesis on the leaf. It has to be used with a sticker designed specifically for the product. It was used early on in the developement stages by some biodynamic orchardists upstate NY. You may apply it from a backpack sprayer or a tractor mounted sprayer...SStorch
Should Australia go native?
Antipodean subscribers might be interested in the 'Opinion - Interview' item in the current New Scientist (22nd June), which features Tim Flannery. I'd not heard of him, although you might already be muttering "Oh, him!" in a range of tones from enthusiasm to disgust. He thinks it's time to stop pretending that Australia has a European environment; the introduced garden plants which made early settlers feel at home should be replaced with native species (amongst which he claims there are many equally attractive) and agriculture should stop producing such inappropriate crops as wheat and sheepmeat. He claims that, at current levels of consumption, a population of only 7-8 million could be supported sustainably (as opposed to the current 19 million, let alone the 50 million called for by business by 2050). It sounds persuasive, but I've not heard any arguments against. Comments, anyone? Tony N-S. _ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
Re: Vam and boron
My Perry Labs test can be interpretted to call for 2 tablespoons of SOLUBOR per 300 sq ft bed. I have 49 tomato plants staked in each 300 ft bed. It seems that diluting the boron source in water and spraying it is the most practical way to get even application. It seems spraying it directly on the tomatoes is probably the way to go HOWEVER, it's hard to imagine whath the conversion from boron-per-acre/sq ft would be if applied to the 50 plants. Could it be the same, since the plants would be sourcing boron from the 300 sq ft bed normally? Still liking the simplicity of 'compost, compost and more compost' and 'put it in your compost, not in your garden,' -Allan
Re: Vam and boron
Hi Dorothy I suggest you do a brookside or perry labs soil test and do all the trace elements including cobalt and molybdenum. Make sure the soil sample is done thoroughly. Also suggest you look back to Robin's posting re calcium and organic matter. While tinkering with trace element applications will sometimes give spectacular results, it will only be tinkering unless or until you have good calcium on the base exchange and functional organic carbon in place. There are very few soils with serious trace problems and ideal calcium balance and OM - exceptions to every rule certainly but always work on the basic stuff. A lot of the other problems will self correct via improved microbial activity when you get these two going properly. Post your soil test to the list when you get it back ? Cheers Lloyd Charles > Incidentally, I haven't had a soil test lately and > since adding a whole bunch of organic matter so it's > possible the boron deficiency is abating. Does anyone > have a soil test lab to recommend? Thanks again. > Dorothy
