HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dmiller@theory.lcs.mit.edu (Dick and Jill Miller)
Subject: Pitcher Plants
Organization: Laboratory for Computer Science, MIT
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 12:01:46 GMT

>   Sounds like a pitcher plant from your description.  It's a tropical
> rainforest plant, so I'd guess it would like shady, warm and humid
> conditions.  Soil probably doesn't need to be very rich (that's why it
> supplements it's diet with insects). 
>   I'm just making "extrapolative engineering judgements" from the
> fact that such plants come from tropical rainforests.  For definitive
> info, you can look it up in a tropical plant book.  Good luck!
> 

There are pitcher plants that grow in New England bogs, too.  They usually 
grow about 18" high.  Their cultural requirements are a soggy, spongy, 
very-low-nitrogen situation.  If yours is one of the northern rather than 
tropical pitcher plants you should be able to grow it in an undrained pot 
in pure sphagnum.  Just make sure it gets a fly to eat every few days for 
its nitrogen needs. :')

--Jill Miller
--
A. Richard & Jill A. Miller            | Miller Microcomputer Services |
InterNet: dmiller@im.lcs.mit.edu       | 61 Lake Shore Road            |
Voice: 508/653-6136, 9am-9pm EasternTZ | Natick, MA 01760-2099, USA    | 

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu (Vince Summers)
Subject: Bulbs, etc.
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Distribution: rec.gardens
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 19:05:04 GMT

     How to distinguish between bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes?  Can
someone give me good "definitions"?  This message was sent accidentally
to rec.cooking also by mistake.  

Vincent Summers
vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: Lawrence.London@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Lawrence London)
Subject: Re: Gardening Software (Part 2)
Summary: ALF BBS telco #'s
Organization: Extended Bulletin Board Service
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 02:22:33 GMT

In article <711656255.F00003@therose.pdx.com> Jack.Honeycutt@f52.n105.z1.therose.pdx.com (Jack Honeycutt) writes:
> LL> Shareware:
> LL> (many of these programs are available for download from the
> LL> Agricultural Library Forum BBS at the National Agricultural Library)
>Can you post the telephone number for us?
Here it is again:
[if area code 504 won't work, try 301]
504-504-6510
504-504-5496
I'll see if I can come up with verified #'s for ALF and will post them.
--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
From: maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Philodendron Question
Summary: pieces dying
Date: 28 Jul 92 01:16:10 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens

My fiance's philodendron has been having a tough week.  I was
wondering if anyone out there has had experience with them.  The plant
is sitting on top of the refridgerator with its vines running along
the top of the kitchen cabinets (aprox 12 ft) and has a plant light to
supplement its light needs.  Recently, several of the streamers have
died in places.  We cut off the offending vine and are trying to root
them in some water.  It looks like the dead spots were in low places
on the vines.  The streamers did not die back from either end as if it
was missing something in its diet, the streamer would come out of the
pot, run a few feet, then there is a section about 1 foot long that
is dead, and then another 8-10 feet of live (but soon to be dead)
plant.  I thought maybe the plant got hot, or perhaps it is natures
way of pruning or something.  Dan is VERY upset.  He said that the
plant has never done this before and he's had it since he was 10. 
Any ideas?  Any wild guesses?
Thanks,
Joan
-- 
J. C. Maxfield				maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu
DISCLAIMER:  I don't speak for the University, but they often speak for me!
Organization: Central Michigan University
Date: Monday, 27 Jul 1992 12:00:24 EDT
From: <34RIPSE@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: NOTE: Bigfoot/Sasquatch Information Request

I am fairly certain I saw a Bigfoot carrying Elvis into a UFO
but he was walking on a paved road so he didn't leave any tracks.
sorry.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: jsimon@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Gerald Simon)
Subject: Re: Montgomery Ward Garden Tractor - recommendations sought
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 11:25:30 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

I ended up buying a Montgomery Wards tractor (sounds like the one you're
considering....18hp B&S Industrial/Commercial) after purchasing my last
house.  I had nothing but trouble with it.  After about a month of mowing
the carb started acting weird....the engine speed would go up and down
while mowing....the wards service people were out 4 times trying to correct
the problem before I finally insisted on them installing a new carb...that
worked for a while.  Less than 9 months after that incident, the engine
blew up....lost all compression in one cylinder.  After taking back to
wards, it sat there for 3 months with them trying to fix it... I just got
it out of the shop and it seems like we're back to problem # 1 again.  After
the engine blew, I my frustration level reached its peak and I went tractor
shopping again.  I ended up with a John Deere and I just love it!  The quality
difference between the two is amazing.  I've had a couple of minor problems
with the Deere (low fuel light remaining on, and the mower deck pulley broke),
but the service was super.  My recommendation is to spend the extra money and 
get a quality product you'll be happy with.  

So, anybody want to buy a used Montgomery Wards tractor - cheap?
From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: testing soil type
Date: 23 Jul 92 17:35:28 GMT

In article <84182@netnews.upenn.edu> 
tony@scotty.dccs.upenn.edu (Anthony Olejnik) writes:
>Basically, you place some dry soil in a glass jar, fill with water, shake,
>and then let it settle for 24 hours.  After that time, the different soil
>types will have settled into layers (with sand on the bottom, silt in the
>middle, and clay on top).  By determining the percentage of each individual
>layer (with respect to the total amount in the jar), you`re supposed to be
>able to see the composition of your soil.
>Well, I just tried this the other day. And either this method doesn't work
>or I have 100% of the same type of soil (since the book didn`t clearly
>indicate how to distinguish one layer from the next in this example).

If you have hard water, you may need to use distilled water or a little
water softener, like Calgon. The gravel drops right out of suspension. Next
comes the sand after about one minute. Then after about 10 minutes, the silt
has fallen out of suspension. The clay settles after an hour or even longer
or never for very fine clay. Most organic material floats. So by observing the 
levels as a function of time, you can tell the different soil types. It is
possible to have a soil that is 100% sand or silt or clay. To get an
accurate reading on the clay, it is very important that the jar sit in a
place where it is not jarred by vibrations. Sand is like beach sand and is
coarse and the particles are visible. Clay is like potter's clay and is very
fine, the particles are not visible. Silt is inbetween and is like the fine
soils you find on river banks.

>what`s the difference between loam and silt?

Loam is the ideal soil and is roughly equal portions or sand, silt and clay.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: What is it and what to do about it...
From: Robert Chambers <RMCCU@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Monday, 27 Jul 1992 11:38:39 EDT
Distribution: usa
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

They are called Sow bugs or sometimes Pill bugs  since they roll up into
pills if you mess with them.

When I first moved to Connecticut I couldn't believe how many there were..
they get in the basement, everywhere... It should be the state insect..

Anyhow.. I have had some dealings with them since I too grow rhubarb and have
had the occasional stem chewed up.  I hate to use the S-word, but I will...
Since this is first year growth I dusted a ring around the base of the
plants with Sevin and that kills them in short order.  I don't know how
else to get rid of them.. perhaps putting some sticky stuff down for them
like honey? They would get all tangled up in it and be prey for other
critters.

Let us know if you find a safe effective way won't you?

Robert
From: icer@sybase.com (Eric Stromberg)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Viticultural Quandary
Date: 27 Jul 92 22:25:32 GMT
Organization: Sybase, Inc.

I planted an assortment of varieties of grapes a few years ago, and this year
they are finally bearing a significant crop. Everything has been going fine
except that the berries of one variety, flame seedless, split open just as they
start to turn red, and subsequently get moldy. Not only does it look bad, but
it tastes bad too.

What could be causing the berries to split? Any help would be appreciated.
--
Eric Stromberg		icer@sybase.com
Sybase, Inc., 1650 65th Street, Emeryville CA 94608
From: Norwich.School@dartmouth.edu (Norwich School)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Baby Corn
Date: 23 Jul 92 20:36:01 GMT
 <29920010@hpspkla.spk.hp.com> 
 <17JUL92.14444634@earvax.waisman.wisc.edu>  
 <1992Jul23.002119.8659@massey.ac.nz>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH


Though I have not grown it, Nichols Nursery has baby corn in their
catalog, page 23, in several sized packets.  Can't wait to try it next
year.  It's the same price as super sweet corn.  65 days to mature.

Here's the address:

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 North Pacific Highway
Albany, Oregon 97321-4598

Sonia Swierczynski
Farm Coordinator
Shaker Museum
Enfield, NH

Email:  Norwich.school@dartmouth.edu
From: sfinfroc@beta.tricity.wsu.edu (Scott H. Finfrock)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: "sludge" or biosolids
Date: 24 Jul 92 19:37:58 GMT
Organization: Washington State University Tri-Cities, Richland

In article <1992Jul23.213313.15061@sequent.com> kayo@sequent.com (Kayo Parsons-Korn) writes:
>Ask Unified Sewerage to give you the full story. This stuff cannot be
>used by home gardeners or by farmers growing food crops. The majority
>of it is used by landscapers and nurseries growing landscape plants.
>They also will not let a farmer apply it more than once in a five year
>period. But, they won't tell you the levels or types of heavy metals
>in the stuff. Don't trust USA or the county, they'll never give you the
>straight story.

This isn't quite right.  Sludge is being used by farmers on food
crops, mostly wheat I believe.  The program of allowing it is
new but it is expanding in Washington and Oregon.  And
yes the farmers are willing to pay for it and appear to be eager
to get it.

Of course that doesn't necessarily mean it is safe :-) but most
of the scientific concern over it seemed to be directed towards
the possibility of airborne spreading of disease, not of contaminents
getting in the food.


Scott Finfrock
sfinfroc@beta.tricity.wsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Arnold's pet squirrels
From: A.S.Chamove@massey.ac.nz (A.S. Chamove)
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 02:18:08 GMT
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2c

The BBC had two programmes about 2 years ago
1--Bird Brains of Britain
2--and one on squirrels.
   In both, people from around the country trained either blue tits
or grey squirrels to do clever things.  The squirrels could do
remarkable feats, mostly chains of things. The people would rig up
devices so that the animal would have to walk a tightrope, pull a
match stick which would release a peanut, then release another stick
dropping it further, and open a drawer to get the nut or pull up a
string to retrieve the nut. You get the idea.  You could write a UK
friend to get the video or write the BBC direct.

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Arnold Chamove
Massey University Psychology
Palmerston North, New Zealand

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: schiefferr@gtephx.UUCP (Ron Schieffer)
Subject: What is it and what to do about it...
Keywords: bug question
Organization: gte
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 16:57:31 GMT

Not sure if this got out the first time or not (no replies!)...

What kind of bug is this?  
I have heard it called a rollie pollie, or a potato bug but am not
sure about what it is...
It looks kind of like a miniature armadillo with the largest one I've
seen being about 1/2 inch long.  When you touch them, they tend to
roll themselves into a little ball.  They also tend to exist under 
rocks or leaves or wherever it remains moist.
I live in Phoenix and have thousands of these things in my garden.
The only thing they seem to bother (among zucchini, cucumbers, 
cantaloupe (sp?), green beans, corn, and rhubarb (rhubarb in the
desert???)) is my rhubarb.  They seem to just love the root of
this plant and have a tendency to reduce the root to mush.

1st question:  What is it?

2nd question:  How to get it to leave? Or is it something I should
not worry about?  Can I attract something else to help control it?

Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Ron Schieffer

gtephx!schiefferr@enuucp.eax.asu.edu
From: rob@skylinx.sa.com (Rob Cartaino)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Artificial light for IVY and DRACAENA will it work?
Date: 27 Jul 92 13:43:51 GMT
Organization: Scientific Atlanta, Inc.

ggawron@comm.mot.com (Glenn Gawron) writes:
> 
> I work in an office with no windows and a TON of fluorescent overhead 
> lights.  I just went to a local nursery and bought 3 plants to spruce the 
[etc.]

> 
> Do I need to get a different artificial light?  (I can put one under my 
> credenzas).  The current bulbs are "Cool White".
> 
Fluorescent tubes, now matter how many of them there are, are completely
useless for plant lighting requirements at ceiling heights.  At that
distance, plants, as far they can tell, are sitting in a dark closet.

For fluorescent tubes to be useful, they have to be within a couple
of inches of the plants.  If practical, I even let the tubes come in 
contact with the folliage.  They have to be used to longer periods of
time than incandescent bulbs or sunlight depending on the strength.
Incandescent bulbs can be used at greater distances (up to a few feet)
but can't be place too close to the plants.   The heat from the bulbs
will burn the plants.


-- 
---                                              
Rob Cartaino - Melbourne, FL
rob@skylinx.sa.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: frosty@med.unc.edu (Steve Loechel)
Subject: squirrels
Originator: frosty@maiden
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 15:48:55 GMT

In article <1992Jul23.180804.5501@ringer.cs.utsa.edu> jschwarz@lonestar.utsa.edu (Jan A. Schwarz) writes:
>
>   Can anyone tell me how to keep the squirrels out of the pecan, peach,
>   pear and plum trees?  I'm sure there probably isn't any way, but
>   my husband just has a fit about this.  One day there is fruit, and
>   the next there isn't!
>
   If the trees are isolated (i.e. the *@#$$%@ squirrels cannot jump to
   them from an adjacent tree) you can make a barrier around the trunk
   to keep them from climbing the tree. This barrier can be made from
   a variety of materials, including sheet metal or a ring of plastic
   milk jugs with their bottoms cut out. Match wits with the squirrels!
   See if you can make a barrier that they can't figure out how to
   get around. Good luck, and may the best mammal win.

   --Frosty
From: bryanh@stout.gvg.tek.com (Bryan Hilterbrand)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Tomatilloes
Date: 22 Jul 92 18:24:33 GMT
Organization: Grass Valley Group, Grass Valley, CA

In article <1992Jul20.211707.18712@b30.ingr.com>
mordes@b30.ingr.com (Tony Mordeszewski) writes:
>
>                                             Some cookbooks insist
>that you wear rubber gloves while handling the peppers; I think this is
>a bit extreme.  Do be careful, though.

My girlfriend and I made a double batch of salsa about a year ago.  I
think we used something like ten pounds of tomatoes and two pounds of
jalapeno peppers (the peppers were good, hot jalapenos).  She chopped
the tomatoes and I chopped the peppers.  It took me about an hour to
chop all the peppers into nice, little chunks, and my left hand (the
one that held the peppers) was starting to "glow" by then.  My hand
continued to feel hotter over the next hour or so, and I had to soak it
in water to keep it cool -- I had even washed with soap and water
several times!  It took the better part of the evening (two or three
hours) before I could stand to have my hand out of the water.  My hands
may have been dried out and more susceptible to the hotness, but YOW!

Moral of the story:  I'm wearing gloves next time; I like the burn in
		     my mouth...not on my hands.

Bryan


Bryan Hilterbrand      bryanh@stout.GVG.TEK.COM  |     /\  /\
Grass Valley Group, Production Systems Division  |  __/ G\/G \__
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: frosty@med.unc.edu (Steve Loechel)
Subject: Re: Wabbits
Originator: frosty@maiden
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 14:09:18 GMT

The best bait I've found for luring rabbits into Havahart traps
is apples. They're much more wary of traps than squirrels or
possums.
Incidentally, I tried to catch a possum one time who was coming
up on our deck to eat out of the food scrap bucket. I put out
the Havahart trap, and baited it with muffins, since we had a
muffin surplus at the time. Each night I would catch a cat, and
not the same cat either. I got tired of catching cats instead of
the possum, so I eventually gave up. Why are cats so attracted to
muffins? Do muffins awaken some ancestral muffin-hunting memories?

--Frosty
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Tuesday, 28 Jul 1992 14:35:12 EDT
From: Vicki <IO20438@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Marigolds

Hi,
   I'm new to this group (relatively...1 & 1/2 months) so if this question
   has been discussed please bear with me:
           Are Marigolds effective in deterring munching bugs from veggie
   gardens? If so, how many plants spaced and located how?
   I appreciate all input.
            Vicki
From: br105@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jeffrey A. Del Col)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Cashew Tree Seedling Source?
Date: 30 Jul 92 19:52:03 GMT
Reply-To: br105@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jeffrey A. Del Col)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)


Does anyone know of a source of cashew tree seedlings?  I just finished
reading Raymond Sokolov's article on the cashew apple in the latest
Natural History, and I am now curious about the plants themselves.  I
know they are tropical, but I have access to a fairly large greenhouse
where I could keep it for the winters.

I suppose truly fresh--unroasted-- cashew nuts would work, but I
haven't any idea where to get those either.  Maybe somebody
with access to Brazilian produce stores might be able to find some?

J. Del Col

-- 
Jeff Del Col      *       "I'm never lonely,...living in my heavily      
A-B College       *   populated solitude, a harum-scarum of infinity        
Philippi, WV      *   and eternity, and Infinity and Eternity seem to          
                  *   take a liking to the likes of me." Bohumil Hrabal.       
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: bradley@solstice.riacs.edu (Brad Christofferson)
Subject: Re: Broccoli heads?
Organization: RIACS, NASA Ames Research Center
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 19:05:22 GMT

In article <weOze3e00WB2QWy4Ne@andrew.cmu.edu>, "William K. Gentz" <wg0n+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
|>      We're trying broccoli for the first time this year, but aren't sure
|> what to expect.  They've all put out a single "floret" which we've
|> picked since they were ready to flower, but I would like to know how
|> those BIG heads are grown.  Is this yet to follow?  Any wisdom?
|> 
|> Thanks!
|> -Bill

Broccoli grows best in early spring or late fall in a cool coastal-type climate. 
I grew some last year in the South San Franciso Bay area, in San Jose.  I started
from seeds in the fall.  I got started kind of late so the plants didn't produce
until spring.  They grew slowly during the winter then took off when the days got
longer.  By springtime I had some pretty good size heads.  Once you take the main
head off, you will get some other small side shoots.  Although they are small,
they are a real treat.  The side shoots are actually more expensive in the store.

It is hard to get real large heads on home grown broccoli in some areas.  You
might try putting up some shade cloth over the garden beds to help keep them cool.
Larger isn't necessarily better anyway.  The smaller heads are probably more
tender.  It was smart to pick it before the heads opened up and flowered.  The
tighter the better.

Cauliflower is sort of the same way.  But once you pick the cauliflower, you
don't get any side shoots.  But one of the cauliflowers I picked this year did
send out a new plant after picking.  It was kind of amazing.  I had left the root
stock in the ground and just cut the head off the stem.  This new branch came up
and started a new head.  I don't think that happens very often.  
-- 

B				E		Y................
  R 			L
        A         D

"People slowly accustomed themselves to the idea that the physical
states of space itself were the final physical reality"

				-Professor Albert Einstein
From: jhb@calmasd.prime.com (Jim Bishop)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Ameriflora
Date: 30 Jul 92 05:52:43 GMT
Organization: -

In article <CMM.0.90.2.712435049.saari@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, 
saari@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Susan J Saari) writes:

[Great review of Ameriflora deleted.]

If you would like to see more of Ameriflora, I believe it will be
featured on this week's Victory Garden on PBS.

Jim
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: alcuew@meaddata.com (Alcue Williams)
Subject: Transplanting Asparagus
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 17:34:09 GMT
Distribution: rec.gardens

 
Hello All,
 
I planted 1 year old asparagus roots this Spring and they are growing nicely.  U
nfortunately now I need to move them to another spot in the yard.  Any suggestio
ns as to how I should go about this.  Can the Asparagus withstand transplanting
like this?  Any help would be appreciated.
 
 
Alcue



 ____________________________________________________________________________
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|____________________________________________________________________________|
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| up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that |
| we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing;  and a wonderful method |
| it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, |
| inefficiency, and demoralization."      -Petronius Arbiter, 210 BC         |
|____________________________________________________________________________|