Just as I was about to post this message I did my duty and did a search to see if the topic had been covered. It has not been covered but it has been mentioned by my Russian friend Valerie. Now why is it that he, even with the language barrier, can catch on to this stuff so long before I do? Anyway, sorry Valarie, for not following up on your link earlier, but NOW I am find this topic interesting - mostly because it challenges what I thought I knew about soils (which also seems to be a theme with Valerie).

Between the lines below is a summary of a presentation given at the 18th world congress of soil science. The topic is the ancient, man-made, black earth found in tropical regions around the world. This stuff was made 4,000 years ago and is still the most fertile soil in their respective local areas. It seems to have to do with the addition of a peculiar charcoal to the soil using a technique that hasn't been duplicated yet. But the hunt is on.

Thursday, 13 July 2006
72-4

This presentation is part of 72: 1.6B Amazonian Dark Earth Soils (Terra Preta and Terra Preta Nova): A Tribute to Wim Sombroek - Oral

Microbial Activity as Soil Quality Indicator in Annual and Perennial Plantations Treated with Charcoal, Mineral- or Organic Fertilizer in a Highly Weathered Amazonian Upland Soil.

Christoph Steiner, 1 Institute of Soil Science, Univ of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany, Wolfgang Zech, 1 Institute of Soil Science, Univ f Bayreuth, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany, and Wenceslau G. Teixeira, Embrapa Amazonia Ocidental, 69011-970 Manaus, Brazil, Manaus, Brazil.

The sustainability of shifting cultivation and slash and burn continues to be a topic of discussion. Shifting cultivation can be an environmentally friendly analog to the natural processes of disturbance and regenerative succession in tropical forests. The Amerindian population achieved long lasting improvements to notoriously infertile tropical soils by long-term mulching, frequent burning and the application of charcoal and ash which increased soil pH and thereby suppressed aluminium (Al) activity favourable for specific microorganisms responsible for the darkening of these soils (Terra Preta de Índio). Its fertility is most likely linked to an anthropogenic accumulation of P, calcium (Ca) as bones and black carbon (C) as charcoal. Charcoal persists in the environment over centuries and is responsible for the stability of the Terra Preta's soil organic mater (SOM). Our objectives were: (i) To assess the role of charcoal in the sustained soil fertility of Terra Preta. (ii) To find practical ways for Amazonian colonists to improve soil fertility and reduce CO2 emissions by producing charcoal for soil amelioration purposes out of woody biomass instead of burning it. Therefore we studied the effects of charcoal on soil chemistry, and on the microbial population in field and greenhouse experiments. We measured substrate induced respiration (SIR) in order to assess the microbial biomass, activity and population growth potential in charcoal amended soil as well as in Terra Preta, thus providing reliable information about the soil?s fertility and SOM stability. All experiments together showed significantly (p < 0.05) decreased levels of available Al and acidity. A strong correlation between microbial population growth potential, plant biomass production and nutrient availability was found in short and long cropping cycles (annual and perennial crops), proving the suitability of SIR to provide reliable information about soil fertility. Charcoal decreased the ratio of microbial C to soil C (Cmic/Corg) due to its refractory nature, whereas chicken manure increased this ratio (p = 0.017) in a study comparing organic and inorganic fertilization of perennial crops. In this study charcoal increased pH, total nitrogen, availability of sodium, zinc, manganese, copper, and humidity, and decreased Al and acidity only in the mineral fertilized plantation. This caused a significantly increase in basal respiration (BR) and microbial efficiency in terms of CO2-C release per microbial carbon in the soil. The microbial biomass, efficiency and population growth after substrate addition was significantly heightened with increasing levels of organic fertilizer amendments, because the organic amendments increased the soil nutrient content and availability. In the mineral fertilized treatment a significant negative correlation was found between the soil's C content and microbial biomass per soil C content (Cmic/Corg). Such a correlation was not possible in the case of organic fertilization. The factor chicken manure increased the Cmic/Corg ratio significantly (p = 0.017). We suppose that this difference is due do the recalcitrance and little available nutrient contents of charcoal in contrast to easily degradable and nutrient rich chicken manure. The BR, microbial biomass, population growth and the microbe?s efficiency, expressed by the metabolic quotient as CO2 production per microbial biomass unit, increased linearly and significantly with increasing charcoal concentrations (50, 100 and 150 g/kg soil) in a laboratory experiment with only short incubation time of charcoal. After long time exposure of charcoal in a field trial the BR was not increased after the second and fourth cropping cycle due to charcoal application, but the charcoal containing and mineral fertilized soil had significantly higher microbial reproduction rates than fertilized soil alone after glucose additions. This indicates a low biodegradable SOM content but sufficient soil nutrient contents to support microbial population growth if an easily degradable substrate (such as glucose) becomes available. This difference between low soil respiration and high microbial population growth potential is one of the characteristics of Terra Preta.

and I'll repeat Valerie's link from earlier in the year...

Eprida,
a commercial website with products to sell.

Here is a link that might be useful: Feb 11 2007 Associated Press article about bee disease

I'm in the midst of an experiment that I thought might be of interest on several forums. I'm going to take the chance and post to the Allelopathy, Garden Experiments, Native Plants, and Permaculture sites with the primary post to the Permaculture forum and links to it on the others. I hope this passes muster with the administrators.

Background
Bermuda grass is one of the invasives in the Oak Woodlands of California. In this particular situation, it is spread as seed is blown from feed bales during transport along roadways.

I have dug the grass in an attempt to eliminate it and have had some success, but am unable to disrupt it where it is actually growing through the pavement. Instead of trying to kill the Bermuda by the standard means of herbicide, I thought it would be interesting to try, instead, to promote the growth of the native vegetation.

Process
From what I understand, Lotus scoparius (http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/403.htm) is allelopathic. I harvested the plant, roughly chopped it, placed it in a blender with water and pressed the liquefy button. I did the same with respect to leaves and steams of Salvia apiana (http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/604.htm). In approximately two gallons of tap water that had sit for at least a day to dissipate the chlorine, 1/4 cup of sugar and one 1/4 ounce packet of active dry yeast was added. Let the 'tea' steep or brew for at least a day.

I plan to spray solutions of various strengths of the tea to see what happens.

In other locals, one might find a native plant or two to make a similar experiment. The idea here is not to kill the Bermuda, but to promote the 'essence' of the natives and dissipate that of the invasive.

If anyone else has had similar thoughts or ideas, I would be interested.

Terran

One of the three ancient and revered apple trees that we have on the property has begun tossing semi-mature fruit for only the second time in about 15 yrs. Two of the three trees were in very rough shape when we moved in then, and have since died. The third is *huge*, and still vigorous, and keeps on trying. My husband and I are tall and long-limbed, and with both of us stretching, we can hold hands around the trunk.

It is certain that these trees were planted before 1918, and from other researched patterns in the area, it is very very likely that these trees were part of a larger orchard attached to the original farmstead a long long time before that.

Our Grandma Apple Tree has lost a couple of major limbs over the last few years, and this may be the last year that she throws semimature fruit before she follows her sisters. I would love to have some clue as to what variety of apple, or even what possible group of apple varieties, she was.

Advice appreciated.