On 12 May 2003 04:45:49 -0700, (nagtegaal)
wrote:

I have very sandy soil in Western Australia and would like to build a
pond system but use natural methods to seal it, if possible. Does
anyone have any info or references on this topic?

Thanks

Certain types of rock dusts from quarries, a bypoduct usually given
away, will add impermeability to some existing soils though probably
not sandy types. These rock dusts are extremely fine grit and usually
from hard rock types. There is some of this available near me and it
is reputed to seal the bottoms of ponds that would otherwise not hold
water.

On other topics, here's a UK food literature reference I found today
in a reply to someone asking for raw foods diet info:

Maybe Graham will enjoy this.


Plants and People in Ancient Scotland
by Camilla Dickson and James Dickson

An authoritative and interesting study of the exploitation of
different
plant species by the people of Scotland, from the earliest Mesolithic
people, through to the medieval period. Camilla and James Dickson look
at
both wild and cultivated plants and their wide-ranging uses not only
as
food, but also as fuel, in construction, dyeing, in medicine and for
producing alcohol. From the Yellow Iris found at Skara Brae to the
hidden
delights of the sewage-filled ditch at Bearsden Fort, this is an
important
archaeobotanical study written for the general reader as much as the
specialist. Includes a large section on noteworthy plants which is
packed
full of information and is a great source of reference. 320p, 171 b/w
illus (Tempus 2000)
ISBN 0752419056. Paperback.

Food in Roman Britain
by Joan P. Alcock

Roman food is commonly known today from the elaborate and rich recipes
of the gourmet Apicius. Alcock's study, which relies heavily on
archaeological and environmental evidence, challenges this view and
demonstrates that, although the British diet was radically altered
with
the arrival of Romans and urbanisation, most Romano-Britons would not
have
known Mediterranean cuisine. Alcock discusses staple foods, such as
cereals, meat, fish, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, as well as
herbs and olive oil, cooking methods, the kitchen and dining room and
the
market place. This very accessible study also considers foreign
influences, introduced crops, products and farming techniques, diet
and
nutrition and the army's diet, largely based on the evidence of
skeletal
remains. 192p, 27 col pls, 101 b/w illus (Tempus 2001)
ISBN 0752419242. Paperback.



Is Len still around?

LL