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pumpkiguy's experiments

Hey, I'm impressed!   I suspect everyone else thinks you are crazy, but I'm
impressed.   Now I have some questions:

>I was using 1,000 watt metal halide
>lights to increase day length 10 years ago.

Did this help? I've always wondered if it was just the added solar energy
that made Ottawa pumpkins 900+ lbs, and California grown pumpkins (from the
same seed) ~800.

>I once grew a pumpkin in a sling
>to get a round bottom ( don't ask me why).

Why?  Sounds great!  I've thought about growing one in a tank of water
(with moisture barrier) to relieve stress from its own weight.

>In 1985 I constructed a trolley
>that allowed me to hover over the pumpkin patch without ever stepping on the
>soil.

Now *THAT* is dedication!  I've read of people using techniques like this
to study the Amazon rain forest canopy.   Do you think walking on boards
works as well?

> 10 years ago I was working on chromosome counting and doubling the
>chromosomes in an Atlantic Giant......I came up with a seedling that showed
>promise of doubling..

I take it there is a reason to expect that chromosomal doubling will
increase pumpkin weight?  More generally, has any genetic engineering lab
studied giant pumpkins (or big vegetables of any variety)?  We (this list,
collectively) are probably functioning as both world experts and
laboratory, but *some* academician ought to be drawn to the topic.  It is
worth a  journal paper or three, not to mention prize money.  Come to think
of it, why isn't big agriculture interested?  2 ft bananas may not sell in
the supermarket, but they would make it a whole lot easier to produce baby
food in bulk.

Nice story about the field sized compost bin!  I wish I had made that
mistake!  Really! !   I like the high-volume sense of abandon.

So, if you did all this in the past,  what experiments are you running now?

	Dan Shapiro
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