Subject: Neem Tree

From: "Shirley Y. Deines" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 15:53:27 -0700

Here is something you might find very interesting about The Amazing Neem:

"Bugs Hate It

Because the people of India have long known that neem leaves repel
troublesome insects, they place leaves in beds, books, bins, cupboards,
and closets.  In 1959 a German entomologist and his student became
involved in neem research after witnessing a massive locust plague in the
Sudan during which billions of locusts devoured the leaves of every tree
except the neem.

Since then, scientists have learned that the neems' complex chemical
arsenal is effective against more than 200 insect species as well as
various mites, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and even several viruses.  In
one experiment, researchers placed soybean leaves in a container with
Japanese beetles.  Half of each leaf had been sprayed with neem extracts.
 The beetles devoured the untreated halves of each leaf but didn't touch
the treated portions.  In fact, they died of starvation rather than eat
even tiny portions of the treated leaves.

Such experiments suggest the possibility of developing an inexpensive,
nontoxic, and easily prepared alternative to certain synthetic
pesticides, In Nicaragua, for example, farmers mix pounded neem seed with
water ^× 80 grams of seed per liter of water.  They soak the pounded seed
for 12 hours, strain out the seeds, and then spray the water on the
crops.

Neem products do not kill most insects outright.  Neem sprays alter an
insect's life processes, so that eventually, it can no longer feed,
breed, or metamorphose.  But while need products act against bugs, they
do not appear to be harmful to birds, warm-blooded animals, or humans."
(Quoted from theAWAKE! February 22, 1998 issue)

I would suggest you get a copy of this as it contains some very
"informative" information about the Neem tree.

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