HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Path: cv3.cv.nrao.edu!uvaarpa!darwin.sura.net!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ucla-cs!ucla-ma!julia!ramirez
   From: ramirez@julia.math.ucla.edu (Alice Ramirez)
   Sender: news@math.ucla.edu
   Organization: UCLA Mathematics Department
   Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 13:17:40 GMT
   Lines: 19

   This posting is for Ellie and others like her.  

   Ellie, your P.S. about your fear of bugs sorta touched my heart.
   A bit of advice:  Try to understand them.  I don't mean understand
   their little psyches, assuming they have such things, but their physiology,
   life cycles, a few of the major families/species.  They will become less
   alien to you.  I have spent many fascinating minutes out in my garden
   observing spiders, or a mantis eating some loathesome garden pest.  They're
   actually interesting little buggers. (Spiders can be actually quite beautiful,
   once you get past the fact that they are spiders.)  It also really helps to 
   know which are the good ones you should want to keep around.  

   And if you are creeped out by bugs, just remember that some of your
[B   (probably) favorite foods are in Order Arthropoda...shrimps, lobsters,
   crabs...big bugs of the sea.  Just imagine one of these guys shrunk down
   to about, say, one inch, crawling around under your kitchen sink....yummy!!
   (sorry!  I couldn't resist.  I am in an evil mood today and, personally, I
   never eat anything that comes with a chitonous exoskeliton).

     Wanna flip out?  I try to pet insects.  I succeeded in petting a rather
large robber fly several times the other day.  It seemed to like it actually.
Honest!

Vince
vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu (Vince Summers)
Subject: Color variant of Blue Curls
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Distribution: rec.gardens
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 17:03:19 GMT

     I have noticed and it's happening this time of year, that some Blue
Curls plants produce pure pink flowers.  The plant is identical, absolutely
identical to the eye otherwise.  How can I point to a pink flower and call
it BLUE curls?

Vince Summers
vsummers@polaris.cv.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: billmc@microsoft.com (Bill Mcjohn)
Subject: Re: Shady Groundcover
Date: 26 Aug 92 18:23:53 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation

In article <64523@cup.portal.com> zoetrope@cup.portal.com 
(Devan DzM MacFarlane) writes:
>I need to find a good groundcover plant or a variety of plants that will do
>well in a semi-shade environment.
>
>So that you know the type of environment I live in, I live in the
>San Francisco Bay Area which is classified as a "Mediterranian" climate.
>
Seattle also has a Mediterranean climate, although a bit colder than
San Francisco, and I am preparing to plant a small bed in shade.  As
far as I can tell, the limiting factor isn't so much shade as lack of
summer water.  Some of the possibilities I've come up with are:

    Helleborus orientalis -- Lenten Rose (OK, it's not exactly
                             a ground cover, but it's beautiful
                             and it tolerates shade and drought)
    Asarum caudatum -- a Pacific Coast native wild ginger
    Asarum europaeum -- European wild ginger
    Epimedium hybrids
    Vancouveria hexandra -- another native, related to Epimedium
    Vancouveria planipetala
    Cornus canadensis -- creeping dogwood
    Anemone nemerosa -- woods anemone (summer dormant)
    Campanula poscharskyana -- Serbian bellflower
    Convallaria majalis -- Lily of the Valley
    Geranium macrorrhizum

There are also a few that I may try even though they may not be
sufficiently drought-tolerant.  I've amended the soil like crazy
to improve its water retention, and I figure I'll find out just
how tough these characters are:.

    Saxifraga x urbium -- London Pride
    Bergenia cordifolia
    Gaultheria procumbens -- wintergreen
    Viola odorata -- sweet violet
    Viola labradorica -- Labrador violet

References:
    George Schenk, _The Complete Shade Gardener_
    Nicola Ferguson, _Right Plant, Right Place_
    Anne Scott-James, _Perfect Plant, Perfect Garden_


Bill McJohn
billmc@microsoft


Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: lp@well.sf.ca.us (Lily Pond)
Subject: bees
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:13:45 GMT


How do you keep them away from your picnic table in the garden?
From: gcopmse@state.systems.sa.gov.au
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: re:Bacteria grow your own
Date: 27 Aug 92 11:22:57 GMT
Organization: State Systems, South Australia


 i feel so sorry for you . did you mi
either by your science teacher showing how on agar gel that when you breathe on 
the agar and incubate it for a couple of days that your 'breathe can contain
alot of bacteria or the other way was forgetting about your lunch for a week 
and then searching through you locker to find your yo yo and this big black
hairy growth encased in plastic tumbles toward you!
 oh boy you have missed out .
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: coyote@sti.com (Ron Lussier)
Subject: Bonsai mailing list
Organization: National Man-Smurf Love Association
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 18:20:31 GMT

Howdy,

Recently someone sent me information on a Bonsai mailing list.  Unfortunately,
our mail server died, and I lost the information.  Could someone re-send this
to me?  Thanks!

Coyote
-- 
Ron 'Coyote' Lussier            /|               Software Transformation
coyote@sti.com                 / |      1601 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd, #100
(408) 973-8081 x315           /__\                   Cupertino, CA 95014
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: flourescent lights for growing
From: A.S.Chamove@massey.ac.nz (A.S. Chamove)
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 00:02:09 GMT
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2c

I had the same problem a few years ago and when to our Botany dept
that had plant rooms.  They said if you had a mix of florescent and
incandescent lights (50/50 about), you would cover the whole spectrum
and cheaply.  
I tried it. The main problem that I had (in my home) was that
climbers would climb up into the lights. The incandescents would fry
them. The lights were on chains so they could be moved and raised and
lowered. It worked well but did not look so good. When I put shades
on the lights, it looked better. Some plants did well and others not
at all. It seems that jungle plants liked the situation; lizards did
too and would rest on the tops of the incandescent fixtures and laid
eggs. 
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Arnold Chamove
Massey University Psychology
Palmerston North, New Zealand
From: joanm@moe.coe.uga.edu (Joan Maxfield UCNS)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Dog 'peepee'
Date: 25 Aug 92 23:41:46 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: College of Education, University of Georgia

My parents had a similar problem with my sisters dog, Vicky was
displastic and arthritic and wouldn't go too far from the door to
relieve herself.  My parents had a cow when she started burning their
new lawn in perfect little circles.  We started following her around
with the hose which happened to be located just near the door.  We
just used the wand type nozzle and rinced off where she went. Poof!
no more burn marks!  Other than that I guess you could just tell your
neighbors that little fairies and pixies are having campfires on your
lawn.  Sort of like the fairy ring that we discussed a few weeks ago!

Joan
From: dmiller@theory.lcs.mit.edu (Dick and Jill Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: fern sources
Date: 3 Sep 92 13:00:11 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Laboratory for Computer Science, MIT

In article <1992Aug31.193223.2076@imagen.com> (Julia Tien) 
<jjwt@imagen.com> asks:

> The last issue of SUNSET magazine had an article about sword ferns 
> (Polystichum munitum) and I thought I'd ask the net for tips on 
> growing ferns from seed, and if anyone has recommendations for 
> mail-order sources for plants or seeds for this particular variety.
> 
> I'd actually prefer seed sources if ferns are easy to grow, as I've 
> had much better luck with seeds than with plants (bare-root or potted).
> 
> I'd also appreciate suggestions for references on ferns, as this is 
> something new to me.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Julia (jjwt@imagen.com)

Ferns do not produce seeds they produce spores.  In a moist, still 
environment the spores will grow into a tiny, heart-shaped green plantlet 
which produces on its surface eggs and sperms which unite to start a fern 
plant.  Years ago I had some grow (inadvertently) in a terrarium.  It's 
a very interesting project, but might take two or three years until you get 
a reasonable sized fern.  I know of no source for the spores other than 
shaking them off a friend's fern.  This sounds like a neat project and if I 
can just get organized I think I'll try it again. :')

--Jill
--
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    |
From: Roger.Duvall@AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Roger Duvall)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: yellow scale on azaleas
Date: 4 Sep 92 17:33:46 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NCR Engineering and Manufacturing Atlanta -- Atlanta, GA

In article <1992Sep1.162851.23983@cbnewsh.cb.att.com> h66@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (david.b.ramsden) writes:
>From: h66@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (david.b.ramsden)
>Subject: yellow scale on azaleas
>Date: 1 Sep 92 16:28:51 GMT
>My azaleas have developed a yellow scale-like covering on their
>leaves.  Anyone know what this is and how to treat it?
>
Could the problem be lace-wing insect damage?  The tops of the leaves get 
light colored spots because the lace-wings are sucking the juice out from 
beneath.  Check under the leaves for black bits a little smaller than a pin-
head.  That's a sure sign of lace-wing.  They're more likely to cause 
trouble if your azaleas get a lot of sun.  Lace-wings aren't too hard to get 
rid of, but I can't remember now what I've used.  Read some labels.

Roger Duvall, Atlanta, Ga.
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: flourescent lights for growing
Date: 23 Aug 92 19:42:23 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

diverson@phys.ksu.edu (David Iverson) writes:
> I sort of get the impression that 'grow lights' are flourescent lights, but
> more expensive.  So the question is, will my indoor plants appreciate it if
> I leave my compact flourescent reading light (the kind that screws into a
> normal socket) on for them while I'm in other rooms doing other things, or
> am I just wasting my money?

Grow lights have a slightly different spectrum than regular warm or
cool fluorescent tubes, but people have been using warm and cool fluorescents
together for growing for years with good luck.

The answer to your question is an unequivocal, "It depends".  If a plant
is kept in light 24 hours a day, it is likely to die.  It screws up the
circadian rhythms, and there are some important biological functions that
only occur at night in some species.

Also, if a plant is in light that is not bright enough for it to
photosynthesize (use light, water and CO2 to produce sugar and O2),
it may well "photorespire": use up its sugar supply at a higher rate
than if it were simply left in the dark.  So you actually wind up
starving the plant.

Check the rules of thumb in the previous post, and then decide.

Kay Klier  Biology Dept  UNI
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder)
Subject: rescue cornstalks?
Organization:  Pysics Department, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 18:17:24 GMT


Here in Pittsburg, we just had a violent thunderstorm on Friday (2.3 inches
of rain and very strong winds).  It knocked my little garden corn patch 
flat (My patch is about 50 stalks, planted in a near-square rectangle).
My corn is just getting ears, and I would like to save the plants so I
can get some corn to eat.  For a temporary measure, I picked-up the
stalks, and tied them together in groups of about 4 to 6 with strips
of rag.  In that manner, they sort-of stand up.  My question is:  
will they keep growing this way?  Is there some other way to save them?
The ground is so soft that they will not stand up on their own, and
I do not want to have to lash each one to a pole (50 poles ?! Yikes!).
Anyone have any ideas on this?

Thanks

John
snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu

Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Subject: Re: Ok, now I'm really confused about pH
Organization: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA USA
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:32:54 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.194608.17396@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU> 
rfrench@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Robert S. French) writes:
>When I meansure my tap water with a "soil testing kit", it gives me a
>pH of around 8.  When I measure it using pH test paper (standard stuff
>from a chemical supply house) it says around 4.5-5.0.  What's going
>on?

Well, this is because a soil test kit is for testing soil. Dry soil has no
pH, to get pH you have to have water. So the test kit is calibrated so that
if you add a measured amount of soil at normal wetness plus a measured
amount of the test indicator liquid, it tells you the soil pH. If you want
to know the pH of any liquid, you use pH test paper. If you want to know
the pH of a solid, you have a problem. It must be disolved in water to
display a pH, but at what ratio? And soil at the proper ratio of water for
the typical plant is too solid to show any color but brown or black. See
what I'm saying? There is some slight of hand at work in making a soil test
kit. If you have a liquid, use the test papers. But if you insist on using
a soil test kit, try getting some dry clean and pure sand, which should be
neutral, and weting it with your water and then testing it and see what you
get. Whatever, the test paper is correct for liquid, the soil kit might
display some "instrumentation" error depending on the pilot.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: kte@INEL.GOV (Kathryn L Cook)
Subject: Re: Willow Water Recipe for Root Cuttings
Reply-To: kte@INEL.GOV (Kathryn L Cook)
Organization: Idaho National Engineering Lab
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 92 13:16:15 GMT


|>  
|> "Take one inch cuts from willow branches , splitting them and
|> soaking them in water, preferably "rain water" brought to a rolling
|> boil, then steeping them overnight.  Remove willow, soak rose
|> cuttings in the solution again overnight.  The willow water may be
|> used for initial waterings of cuttings and for starting cuttings
|> from other plants."
|> 
|> Happy soaking!

Question: Do you boil the rain water and then add the willow for soaking,
or do you actually boil the williow in the water?

        -kayti
========== long legal disclaimer follows, press n to skip ===========

Neither the United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory or any of their employees, makes any warranty, whatsoever,
implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility regarding any
information, disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe
privately owned rights.  No specific reference constitutes or implies
endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States
Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.  The views and
opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the
United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory,
and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: roberson@eos.ncsu.edu (JAMES D ROBERSON)
Subject: Re: Willow Water Recipe for Root Cuttings
Originator: roberson@baepm2.bae.ncsu.edu
Reply-To: roberson@eos.ncsu.edu (JAMES D ROBERSON)
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 13:56:45 GMT


HF.SXM@forsythe.stanford.edu (Sara MacGilvra) writes:

<In the letter to the editor of the lastest edition of Smithsonian ,
<(Sept. '92)  there is a quote from William C. Welch's book _Antique
<Roses for the South_ for willow water, which is mean't to be good
<for rose root cuttings.

How does this help the cuttings?  Is it a mild solution of nitrogen or
some other needed nutrient?  Also will this benefit other type of roses
or plants/trees?

thanks
jim
From: Rodger_Madison@rand.ORG (Rodger Madison)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: What do the marks on my ...
Date: 4 Sep 92 16:09:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: cis.12263
Organization: The RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California

The numbers indicate the rate of application.  If you read a bag of
fertilizer (or weed killer, or any granular material you would put in the
spreader) many of them indicate which setting to use when applying the
fertilizer.  I don't believe there is any standard since as I recall (I'm
at work and don't have a bag handy) numbers are often given for different
types of spreaders.

     Rodger

In article <1992Sep4.141143.12215@primerd.prime.com>, mguyott@eriador.prime.com (M. Guyott) writes:
> 
> What do the marks on my fertilizer spreader mean?  It is a Scotts fertilizer
> spreader that I bought at a tag sale so I don't have any idea what the marks
> on the spreader represent.
> 
> Marc
> ----
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: Jane Smith <jds@concert.net>
Subject: Potted kudzu?
Organization: Clearinghouse for Networked Information Discovery and
     Retrieval
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 17:07:43 GMT

Yes, I know it sounds crazy and yes, I live in the Southern U.S.
and know about the damage it can do and yes, I've stood in the
woods and watched the stuff grow.

But I'd still like info/advice from anyone/source who has tried
to propagate kudzu in a pot. How? How does it do as a
house/greenhouse plant? How well can you control its shape? Can
you bonzai it or use it for topiary?

My interest is for a project which uses kudzu as a metaphor for
the proliferation on networked information. The metaphor suggests
kudzu can be useful if cultivated correctly (as in the use of its
root by the Japanese in cooking as a liquid thickener [like
cornstarch]). Also, any pointers to sources describing other
nutritional value and uses would be appreciated.

  --Jane
    jds@concert.net
From: dougl@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Doug Leno)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: After Market engine for Troy tiller
Date: 28 Aug 92 15:27:20 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise, ID

I was wondering if any Troy-Built tiller owners have attempted an after-market
engine replacement.  In my case, Troy does not supply an 8 HP engine for my
1980 Horse model, though they have recommended a Briggs 8 HP engine
manufactured specifically as a replacement engine for Troys.  I was hoping to
find something more 'generic' to save a few $$.

Most of the Troy requirements are met with standard engine configurations
(such as horizontal crankshaft, side-mounting, etc), except for one thing -
crankshaft diameter!  It seems that most small engines in the 7 and 8 HP
catagory are maufactured with 1" shafts - yet Troy requires a 3/4" shaft.  Of
course, Troy-spec'd engines are easily available for the right price, but I
was hoping to take advantage of high-volume prices found in market
applications like log splitters, large sprinkler system travelers, etc.
For example, a 7 HP briggs Industrial/Commercial  engine can be found locally
for about $300 (from a farm supply house) but because of the shaft requirement,
it is not useable on my Troy.  The 'Troy' version is available only through
small engine retailers for nearly $100 more.

One of the tech service people at Troy suggested that there might be an
after market drive pully that would accept a 1" shaft.  Has anyone found
this to be true?  Perhaps there are other 8 HP engines that are made with
a 3/4" shaft that I should consider?  I've been told that the Briggs engine
is probably the best performace/dollar engine around and would perform quite
well on the Horse Tiller.  Would you agree?
From: fease@dkas.enet.dec.com (Andrea Midtmoen Fease)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: tomatoes won't ripen
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:41:13 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corp., Marlboro MA


>you can pick them - they will turn red in the house (don't put them
>in a sunny windowsill though - this can 'cook' them)

     Best way we've found to ripen them - put them in a brown paper bag.  You
can put them up to three layers deep (any deeper and the bottom ones start
getting squished!  Put the greenest/firmest on the bottom layer, and check
*every* single day.  
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: jessup@dot.cs.colorado.edu (Elizabeth Jessup)
Subject: Re: What to Do with Japapenos?
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 16:16:54 GMT

In article <1992Aug31.094434.7230@ac.dal.ca> macduff@ac.dal.ca writes:
>	Now the hard part. How can I pickle these peppers or make them keep
>for as long as possible? 


Jalapenos freeze very well.  Just put them in an airtight plastic bag
and pop them in the freezer.  You can take out as many as you need for a 
meal and reseal the bag.  The frozen ones are almost like fresh once
thawed and are easy to cut up while still frozen.

Liz
From: hughes@dogwood.botany.uga.edu (Wayne Hughes)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Poison ivy & "roundup"
Date: 3 Sep 92 03:12:12 GMT
Organization: Botany Department - U of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Sep3.022907.23845@massey.ac.nz> A.S.Chamove@massey.ac.nz (A.S. Chamove) writes:
>I would think a compost heap would be just the place for poison ivy. 
>Most toxins are "organic" and are broken down by soil bacteria.
>
   Urushiol (one of the active nasties) is *very* stable.  Deposits
   on tools have been nasty years later.  It survives burning to 
   coat soot particles and cause rashes in and on people exposed
   to the smoke.  It might be worth an experiment, but given the
   incompleteness of composting, *I* would never put it in a 
   compost pile.

   Wayne
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Pumpkins
Date: 2 Sep 92 22:28:34 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

I heard that pumpkins should be picked when the tendril (the twining thing
the vine uses to support itself) nearest to the pumpkin dies.

-Mike
From: mike@spss.com (mike cornwall)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Sensitive plants (??)
Date: 3 Sep 92 19:48:12 GMT
Organization: SPSS Inc.

I plan to transplant some rose bushes because we have sold our house.
Can anyone give me some tips. I am worried that this is the wrong time
of year to do this, but because the house is being sold I have to do
it now. Thanks in advance.

--
Mike Cornwall
mike@spss.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: gordonb@mcil.comm.mot.com (Gordon Berkley)
Subject: Re: morning glory seeds
Organization: Motorola Communications Israel Ltd., Tel Aviv
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 06:15:59 GMT

In article <1992Aug29.213015.2990@hemlock.cray.com>, jill@cray.com (Jill McAllister) writes:
|> I have been harvesting the seeds produced by my morning glories.  Is there
|> any reason not to use these next spring instead of buying seed packets?
|> For instance, they're not sterile or anything, right?

Gosh, I hope not!  I've been replanting them from collected seeds for the past
3 or four years - successfully :-)
-- 
[  Gordon D. Berkley    INTERNET: gordonb@mcil.comm.mot.com   POST: cgb001   ]
[  PHONE: +972 (3) 565-8727      FAX: +972 (3) 565-8754      (UTC-2)         ]
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
From: wls@cray.csd.uwm.edu (Bill Stapleton)
Subject:  Wildflower Stamps
Reply-To: Bill Stapleton <wls@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 18:44:02 GMT

I picked up a sheet of the new wildflower stamps at the post office, and
they're pretty neat.  There are 50 different stamps, very colorful.
Apparently they also have some sort of book/album available.  Not quite
gardening, but I thought some folks might be interested...

--
Bill Stapleton
     wls@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
     uwmcsd4!wls
Newsgroups: rec.gardens