[compost_tea] Re: CEC (was: Rock Dust)
Anderson, Life and Energy in Agriculture, pg 34-35:
CEC test in conventional soil test systems: A numerical value is
calculated from the lab for a given soil sample. This figure is then
used
along with the soil pH to determine the theoretical amount of lime
necessary to change the pH to a predetermined figure.
It looks very nice on paper and sounds very sophisticated (and it
is),
but not in agriculture. The cation exchange capacity is a value
relating
to capacity of, particularly clay, particles to hold cations, i.e.
Ca++,
Mg==, Na+. K+.NH+, etc.
This analysis was developed by THE MINING INDUSTRY and is mainly
used by
petroleum engineers to formulate drilling muds that will carry the
debris
away from the drilling bit. It is basically a raw chemical/physical
Phenomenon and is out of context when used in a biologically active
soil
and a progressive fertility program.
Possibly it is a contributing factor in the mining of our soils.
The CEC, though used extensively, is of limited value in
agriculture.
The test was adopted by the agricultural industry as a tool to
perpetuate
the manipulative fertilization practices of modern agriculture that
have led
to the mining of the soil.
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Received on Tue Dec 07 2004 - 12:22:44 EST
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: Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:15:37 EST