permaculture

[steved@ncatfyv.uark.edu (Steve Diver)]

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   * Announcing a Resource for Arid Lands Permaculture *  

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ARIDUS is the Quarterly Bulletin of The Desert Legume Program of 
The Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum and The University of 
Arizona.  It features a different genus of plants each
issue, with botanical notes and references listed.  The
August 1996 issue (Vol. 8, No. 3) contains a review of the
genus Cercidium, which is closely related to Parkinsonia.  

The Desert Legume Program Index Seminum and list of seed
bank holdings is now available through DELEP.  In order to 
save on printing costs, the Index Seminum is available on 
on 3.5 inch diskettes for $5.00.  The file is in WordPerfect
5.1 formatted in DOS version 4.0.

Each accession is listed alphabetically by genus, species,
and accession number with the availability code and origin.
Seed samples are distributed free.  

For individuals without computer access, a printout is
available, also for $5.00.  It will one day be available on
a Web site. 

To order, send your name and address with $5.00 to:  

DELEP/Index Seminum 
The Desert Legume Program
2120 East Allen Road
Tucson, Arizona  85719
U.S.A.
520-318-7047
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              Extra Legume Resource of the Day


Allen, O.N. and E.K. Allen.  1981.  The Leguminosae - A 
Source Book of Characteristics, Uses, and Nodulation.  The 
University of Wisconsin Press, Madison.  812 p. 
 
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*Ozark Farming, Gardening, & Permaculture Network
Steve Diver
http://sunsite.unc.edu/london/permaculture/faq.v1.3

*Current project is a Sunbelt/Hydrosource roadside flower
bed containing prairie wildflowers, natives, herbaceous perennials,
annual flowers, and herbs.  This demonstration site proves
that an herbaceous bed of flowers, vegetables, or herbs can
be installed and receive low-maintenance and still produce 
high yields under weed-free conditions. 

The integrated components include a heavy-duty fabric 
weed barrier (Sunbelt), a hydrogel (Hydrosource), poultry
fertilizer, and mycorrhizae (Bio-Organics).  

The site was rain fed after four initial waterings to establish plugs,
transplants, and bare-root plants.  A gravity-fed drip system from 
Chapin Waterworks has been ordered to further demonstrate an additional 
integrated component that may be helpful or needed under extreme 
conditions. 

A bonus was the abundance of butterflys, moths, and other
insect species that found the flowers attractive for their 
floral nectaries and habitat.  A few bugs (loopers) required hand
picking to prevent defoliation of certain plant species.