RESERVATION FOR PRESERVATION

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Her results are now in: Not only did music boost the milk output of the 160 cows on her family farm — but the type of music actually determined how much more milk was produced.

It seems that cows were suckers for a good country tune, which increased their milk output by a whopping 6.2%. Apparently, the cows also loved stomping their hooves to good of rock 'n' roll, as milk production with this background music increased by 4.7%. As for classical music, well, it seems that cows could pretty much take or leave Vivaldi or Beethoven, as proven by the small 1.6% increase.

You're probably wondering about your favorite brand of music, whether it be opera, folk music, or show tunes. Why not go ahead and try them all out? (If you're a classical music buff, don't give up so soon — try a little Moozart.) Udder than that, you're on your own, so have a little fun doing your own experiments. If all else fails, remember: if you produce the country tunes, your cow will produce the milk.

The Real-live Giving Tree

Imagine if there was something all-natural that could solve all our problems — something like a tree? Some scientists say the Neem — an Indian tree of tropical species — is the cure-all we're looking for. What does it do? Well, according to the Washington Post's article on the Neem, the real question is — what doesn't it do?

It's a reforestation technique. The Neem tree grows comparatively fast (it hits about 30 feet high in six years!), and thrives best on worn-out crop land. It actually does it's quickest growing on poor soil in the semi-arid lands of Africa and Arabia.

It's a pesticide. The extracts of the Neem's seeds and leaves contain pesticides which attack those pesky insects chowing on your plants. The extracts kill over 200 species of insects, but won't harm birds, mammals, or insects which don't eat plants. However, there are those who consider this pesticide to be cruel and unusual, as it can take up to two weeks to kill the insects.

It's a toothpaste. (It'll clean those nasty little bugs right off your teeth!) Scientists claim that millions of Indian folks only "brush" their teeth with a frayed Neem twig. Soon after, German researchers caught on to this potential marketing product, and after several studies, confirmed that there are indeed substances in the Neem which prevent tooth decay.

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