BBoy, I'm going to have to disagree with the way you've tried to present your case here. Oddly, I actually agree on some level with what you are trying to say here. There are cases where amendment is used that it is not appropriate. But to present that one study as an example of why amendment doesn't work is ridiculous. I can tell you right now, what happened was that the organic matter sucked nitrogen out of the soil to decay, starving the trees. This is especially believable with a rank, hoggish grower like silver maple. There are tough growers in any climate including the ones in the study. The results might have been different with another kind of plant. OTOH, people will probably go on amending the soil in perennial beds, and deep tilling/double digging, whether you or Mr. Whitcomb says it works. I can say I have seen with my own eyes that areas I amended grow healthier plants than the exact same species, 12 feet away in the same bed, unamended. Amendment can improve aeration, rain penetration (important in a climate where we actually have rain in the summer, and some choose to depend solely on it for watering) growth of healthy microbials, nutrient retention, etc. etc. etc. This summer we had a brief dry spell. Let's compare. Areas of my bed that had composted peat and a proprietary additive I'm not going to mention now added, when I dug there, were obviously retaining moisture vs. other areas that were not. My yard is a strange mix of clay and a type of silt. Composted peat may not help, strictly speaking, "retain" moisture in a clay soil, becuase as others have noted clay retains moisture very well. But decades of anecdotal evidence are enough to convince me that it helps in other ways. Maybe it helps the moisture be more available to plants. Maybe less water runs off, therefore more penetrates. I don't know, I don't have to care. I'm saying I've been gardening for almost 20 years and amendment helps in certain circumstances, so I'll keep doing it. This remind me of, in another forum, someone saying it was fine to fertilize BLEs in the fall. Then taking some abstract study with a with specific set of circumstances and thinking it applied to everything. Any experienced gardener will tell you they've either done this or it happened accidentally and their photinia, holly, whatever, burst into fresh growth during a warm week in November. Maybe it didn't harm the plant, maybe it did, but what's the point in doing it if there are going to be dead sprouts hanging on the plant all winter.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11365311#ProductDetail It seems to be the same company. It's not really available at your local Walmart, apparently it's Walmart Marketplace.

My husband has done some DNA testing, Autosomal, which is where you match cousins and that is probably what he is asking you to do. The other hubs did was Y testing, trying to find males with the same surname. One thing you can do to have a little more control over the results is to 1) make sure you have the kit number and that you set up the password. I had ordered kits for two people and paid for them myself. This was so I could see the results but I also included their email addresses so they would get results and match notifications as well. Once I determined if hubs was related to them (one yes, one no), then I had them change the passwords so that I can no longer get into their kit information. Our situation is a little different than yours but again in our case, like yours, these were total strangers who agreed to help us out. ] Be aware that there are sites that the DNA information can be downloaded to sites like gedcom where people that have different companies that test can compare results. This person may then have your information out there for anyone to compare your DNA to theirs. Names are not listed, just your kit number and he would probably put his email address as the contact person. There is an option of not putting email address at all but then that limits possible matches from contacting him/you. These are questions you should discuss before you do the test. Know if he is having the results sent to him only, you only, or both. If you have them sent only to you, then you can request him sending his to you and you could be the one who sees if there is a match. The person who hubs did not match still appreciated receiving the information and we still keep in touch. The one who did match has helped confirmed our lines matching back to the GGGF in the late 1700's. The autosomal testing is not as definite. We get matches all the time but the probability is small. It has helped to find some relatives that we weren't sure of. Do you know the name of the company and type of test?

Holding a swap in Plymouth... Saturday, May 2 at noon. Meet at Holmes Field. Come with native plants & meet like-minded people. Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1434059036893151/ It's right by a public field & beach as well. Lots of great plants and wildlife, including a nesting pair of osprey.