look out for a lab that does Reams testing. Carey Reams didn't come up with the test. It's just a Morgan extract developed by (oddly enough) Dr. M.F. Morgan at the University of Connecticut. Calling it a Ream's test gives credit where none is due and completely ignores the creator. Also, when looking for a lab, most that run the test will call it a "Morgan extract" so searching for a "Ream's test" will exclude a lot of labs that do perform that test. Of course, Reams came up with her own interpretation critera. However, they are based on a prescribed lbs. per acre formula. ie. she wants 400 lbs. per acre of phosphorous. This is the next best thing to useless because the amount of nutrients that would be sufficient in a sandy soil are worlds away from sufficient in a heavy clay. (and a myriad of other factors play a role) You also aren't limited to Morgan extract to gie an idea of what is actually available rather than the total that you would get from a strong acid extraction. In fact there are many valuable weak acid extractions that follow the same basic principle. Mehlich 2, Mehlich 3 and DTPA are other examples. However, the best method will vary with your soil type. Following one "guru" style type of testing rather than choosing the correct method of analysis and interpretation (which touches on the whole religious mind set without the thinking to back it up scenario that has been such a popular topic lately) can result in poor information and results.

Oh can I relate to your last statement, Marian. I have no dillusions of life in the nursery biz being easy and I'm not afraid of hard work or failure. Everything worth having takes risk, hard work and a lot of faith... but the idea of getting out of my air-conditioned, artificial light, not a second of privacy cubicle farm, making $Ms for corp. exec's who only cut my benefits & pay while raising their own, to be out digging in the dirt with the sun on my back is my idea of heaven on earth! Good luck with your gardens. I know a farm can be a lifelong art project- I used to have some acreage and never left it alone for a season w/o putting a new bed in somewhere. It can be a long labor of love. Hopefully you are able to pass the legacy on to someone who will carry on the efforts so you can smile at it from heaven. Thank you for your well wishes on my dreams. I've wanted to run my own business for better than 25 yrs but trying to settle on one thing and having the confidence for business management held me back. I have chosen the garden industry because a)every personality/career test I've ever taken says I should be in high-tech or plants b)I've managed to keep my interest in gardening for my entire life c)I've started a business within the safety of a corporation so I know I can do it on my own now d)I've researched the industry enough to know that it is possible to double my income as a small biz owner if I use my business knowledge wisely- not everyone can do that but it is possible. Ellen, is the Lily chatroom you are talking about affiliated with the AHS e:mail robin? I just asked to sign up for the robin.

have you checked in your recycle bin or in your email client deleted folder? it is usually there for a while before being removed. Since you did not mention if the folder you created was an email folder on your email client or if it was a folder somewhere on your pc you will have to use which ever location applies. if it was on your pc you can also go to start> search and type in the name of the folder or files and do a search for it. In your email client there should be a search option you can put in the persons email address and search for any emails received from that person they may still show up.

Have you tried acetone yet? That will strip off the wax down to the stone. Try that before sanding. Take a paper towel and pour some of the acetone on it, and rub the area of concern. Use gloves. The acetone wont hurt the stone. It is what a marble fabricator, that I hired to cut out my sink hole, used to clean up the stone after he was done. And if you do sand eventually, use a 400 grit to start. I don't know how smooth your stone is, but I remember the cleaning lady dilemma some months ago. I have my stone finished to a 250 grit or there about's, which is rougher than the 400. If you start with the finest sandpaper first you won't be faced with the green scrubby issue from before. Try the acetone first. Its like a very strong fingernail polish remover, or at least it smells like it.