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subject: What is Diatomaceous Earth
sent: 12 sep 98

Scientists estimate that there may be as many as 12,000 species of diatoms, each identifiable by their delicate, ornate shells. Diatoms are a dominant species of phytoplankton, . . . . . . This fine, crumbly substance is used in insulating materials, abrasives, ceramics, and in filtering and filling materials. More than 270,000 metric tons of it are extracted annually from a quarry near Lompoc, California. 
http://bellnet.tamu.edu/diatoms.htm 

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Subject: DE food Grade
sent: 12 sep 98

When DE is sprinkled on the ground, on an ant mount, or mixed with grains, legumes, etc., it slices and dices the insects that walk through it. If you're planning to can or bucketize your own food, mixing in a cup of Diatomaceous Earth will help keep it pest-free. And it won't hurt YOU when you ingest it, 'cause the 'sharp pieces' are too small to cut you, you lucky guy. (In fact, many farmers deliberately mix DE with animal feed to kill internal parasites in farm animals. The DE in the animal feces even kills the fly maggots that invariably appear in the patties.)

Diatomaceous Earth comes in at least two grades: Horticultural Grade and Food Grade. It's important to use only Food Grade DE if you're using it to store grains.

If you want to use it on plants, DON'T get any on the flowers. It'll slice up the few honeybees we have left. And I don't recommend incorporating mass quantities into the soil. Earthworms are good things: You don't want to hurt them until you put 'em on your fishhook.

DE is also effective against fleas ... but, again, take care not to let your pet breathe it.


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Subject: DE Horticultural Grade
sent: 12 sep 98

Diatomaceous earth has both a drying and irritating effect on many insects, including ants, roaches, fleas, snails, and slugs. It is composed of the skeletons of sea diatoms. Horticultural grade. 


What to do for "Seed Corn Maggot"

Description:
Yellowish-white, legless, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. 

Common host plant(s): 
Young beans, peas, beet, and corn. Also melon, cucumber, and potato sprouts.

Damage:
Bores into sprouting seed and prevents development of plants; particularly destructive to
early planted seed.

Organic/Biological Control:
Apply diatomaceous earth to the base of plants.
http://everest.ento.vt.edu/~idlab/vegpests/vegfs/seedcornmaggot.html

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Subject: Filters Sand and DE 
Sent: 12 Sep 98

FILTER R & R:
Sand filters: The sand in a sand filter is specially graded to trap particles in the 20-100 micron range. As a sand filter collects dirt, its efficiency increases, trapping more dirt.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) filters: The DE filter is the most efficient type of pool filter on the market. It can trap particles down to 3-5 microns; well below what the naked eye can see. As with sand filters, the pressure gauge indicates a need for backwashing when it reads 8-10 lbs higher than its clean reading. Under the microscope, these
skeletons appear to be tiny sponges.
http://www.poolcenter.com/filter.htm