North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Kieran &/or Donna" <holycow@frontiernet.net>]

Lori,  Everyone says that people here burned the woods and/or fields to 
control ticks.  I suspect that all this Terra Prata stuff is why the 
prairies had such rich dark soil, from the natives burning them for so many 
years. I read in an old book that different weather can give a quick hot 
burn or a slow one that leaves only ash.  I would think from what we know 
now that whatever conditions that leave the most charcoal would do the soil 
the most good.  I haven't seen any discussion of this anywhere.   Donna