[NHCOLL-L:733] RE: ground corn cob

[Roberta Faul-Zeitler]

Sept. 27, 2000

Dear Elizabeth: Here are a few suggestions from my husband, who trained as a
soil scientist and is horticulturist in a botanic garden. His suggestions
are based on the need for more-or-less sterile material (no larvae and
pesticide residue or munchies for inhouse critters)

-- Play sand, which is fine white sand

-- Vermiculite (which is heated to 2000 degrees to process it)

-- Professional seedling mix (for the prof. hort industry) which is a
combination of vermiculite and peat.

-- Peat miss (horticultural grade- decomposed plant material that decomposes
anaerobically underwater)

Bobbie

Roberta Faul-Zeitler
Executive Director
Association of Systematics Collections
1725 K Street NW, Suite 601
Washington DC 20006
Tel. (202) 835-9050
FAX (202) 835-7334
Email: faulzeitler at ascoll.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
> [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]On Behalf Of Elizabeth A. Moore
> Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000 8:55 AM
> To: nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:732] ground corn cob
>
>
> While I was out of town last week, our exhibits staff installed
> an "excavate
> a fossil" hands-on activity.  They used unconsolidated ground corn cob as
> the loose matrix on top of fossil replicas.  The kids will brush away the
> ground cob to expose the fossil replicas.  As far as I know, this material
> has not been treated with pesticides.  I hope it hasn't, since little kids
> will be getting it in their mouths, hair, clothes...
>
> Has anyone ever used ground corn cob in an exhibit?  If so, did
> you have any
> trouble with pests, either vertebrate or invertebrate?  I keep
> having these
> visions of mice and bugs having a big celebration in our exhibit hall now
> that they have been provided with food and nesting material for
> the winter.
>
> I have seen similar activities at other museums, what material has anyone
> else used to mimic loose, unconsolidated matrix?  I'm thinking sand would
> work although it would be harder to clean out of the carpet when
> kids track
> it around.
>
> Thoughts, advice, words of experience?
>
> Elizabeth Moore
>
>
> Dr. Elizabeth A. Moore, Curator of Collections
> Virginia Museum of Natural History
> 1001 Douglas Avenue
> Martinsville, VA  24112
> emoore at vmnh.org
>