North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>]

It is interesting that present experiments with botanical extracts would be 
considered snake oil by anyone. Most of our modern healthcare products have 
their 
origin in botanical compounds or homeopathic medicine concepts of dosage of 
elements and diseased organisms to stimulate immune response. 
Kaolin clay, ie Surround (sucks that folks think they can only use the 
branded 
product) originated with an idea over 50 years ago in biodynamic farming for 
coating the fruit tree with clay and manure. Today, the research into 
biodynamics 
and low energy emission/electron coating is very effective. Essential oils 
are 
breaking ground as repellants as well as fungicides and bacteriacides. 
Pennyroyal 
oil is being trialed to repel Plum Curculio. Most of this type of research is 
being 
done in Europe, India, and China.
In terms of human health, my child's pediatrician assures me that thyme and 
oregano 
oil and teas are the best thing for many colds and flus and dosage-rated 
products 
of each may well be the answer to anti-biotic resistance. He expects its 
usuage in 
common medical practice within 10 years. Also, extracts of mushrooms have 
become 
the new treatments for cancers and HIV/AIDS. There have been literally 
hundreds of 
studies dealing with mushroom/mycelium extracts. And I will quote from the 
small 
print on many medical release forms: Medicine and Diagnosis are arts, not 
exact 
sciences.
Many of us forget that Homeopathic medicine theory is the basis for all 
vaccinations and most diagnostics techniques in use today. We also tend to 
forget 
that Synthetic petrol fertilizers and pest/herb icides have passed through 
less 
oversight before approval than any botanical extract. Money and advertising 
is the 
reason our pesticides are what they are today.
In terms of snake oil, folks using Imidan (phosmet) should research its 
potential 
link to Mad Cow disease in England. This is may be another Chilean-level 
fruit 
scare lurking for us all. I think the true definition of snake oil is when 
the 
medicine does more harm than good, not that it does nothing.
In short, nothing is safe. SO I would rather spray halfway effective pixie 
dust 
than organo-phosphate neuro-disruptors. Funny how we accept the "nuclear 
option" in 
reference to disease and pest damage, rather than fixing our expectations in 
a 
severely broken agricultural system. Ignorance=consequences for us all. For 
interesting research across a lot of topics, become a member of E-prints. Its 
an 
online access point for scientific papers.
Tons of research out there. Nothing a little Garlic and Horseradish and 
vinegar 
won't help.
Heron Breen
zone 4, Maine