permaculture

[Victor Guest <vic@daena.eepo.com.au>]

From: Dick Richardson <d.richardson@mail.utexas.edu>
Subject: Re: Worming methods that are less harmful

At 06:32 AM 4/29/97, cff@tcia.net wrote:
>From: cff@tcia.net (Helen Feete)
>Subject: Re: Worming methods that are less harmful
>
>I just bought some D.E. for fly control.It cost nearly $.50 a pound and is
>extremely powdery. I can not believe cattle would eat it free choice. It is
>also hazardous if inhaled. The recomendation I have for fly control is to
>mix 6 lbs. to 100 lbs of salt. If fed at a rate to be effective on internal
>parasites, would it not be just as effective on the earthworms and dung
>beetles?

If you want to contact a person who has had a lot of experience with free
choice DE, email Dalton Maddox <76347.275@compuserve.com> and get his
thoughts. It doesn't noticably affect the dung beetles but I don't know
about earthworm observations. Since DE is mined, I wonder if earthworms
occur in the areas. Hummmm.. so many questions, so few answers. Nice that
holistic management doesn't require total knowledge to work, isn't it?!

The cost is variable, depending on where you obtain the product. The Maddox
folks buy it in large quantities and consider it very inexpensive relative
to pharmaceutical alternatives. Dalton can give the specifics for their
area. It likely is a bit drier than NE Washington ... about 18 inches
average a year, but rarely are years average.


R. H. (Dick) Richardson                     (512) 471-4128 office
Zoology Dept.                                     371-1885 home
University of Texas                               471-9651 FAX
Austin, TX 78712