jadel wrote:
Steve wrote:

I've always assumed they used real lead at one time or that name

would

have never been used. I wonder how long ago real lead was last used?



Real lead was never used. Apparently pure graphite was intially
referred to as "plumbago"--black lead-- because people thought it was a
form of lead.
Apparently the thinking was something like this"...hmmm, soft, heavy,
black, sort of greasy feeling, must be lead."

Chemistry wasn't an exact science back then.

J. Del Col


Thanks. That makes sense.

Steve

I don't think the pencil would work...

Unless the Mealy bugs are afraid of paper work.... (LOL)

Or maybe you have to stick the pencil in the medium
with over 4" to 6" inches sticking up.
And hope that the bugs climb up and jump off to
there demise. (LOL)

I know that meal worms love Oak meal, and Peat moss...
I wonder if mealy bugs are in the same family?

Bye for now
Micky and Guara


"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...
Sorry, Wendy, already tried that VBG. Kenni

"Wendy" wrote in message
news:DQYYd.73768$FM3.69091@fed1read02...
Well that's it! I am going to play loud rock music in my greenhouse.
(((LOL)))
Remove peterpan for email reply

Cheers Wendy

Steve wrote:
wrote:

There was an article in the Phila. Enquirer about the new SAT and a
companion article about the history of the lead pencil. It stated in
the article that an unpainted pencil inserted in a potted plant would
eliminate mealy bugs. If that is true I wonder how it works.


Did you ever see one of those old movies where some sort of
monster/creature/space alien is threatening to take over the world?
They
try every thing they can to stop the thing but it seems indestructible.
Just when it is hopeless, someone figures out its weakness. Maybe it
can't stand rock music. They turn on the loud speakers and the thing
explodes. End of movie.

If you can kill mealy bugs with a pencil, it's like that.

Steve