Borax for Termites in Wood?

[Ian Staples]

ewartd at emu.insted.unimelb.edu.au writes:

>In article <1993Oct30.215203.1 at dhvx20.csudh.edu>, mgonzalez at dhvx20.csudh.edu writes:
>> Does anyone know how and if I could make an insecticide for 
>> termite infested wood with a water solution using orthoboric acid
[...]
>> borax is quite harmless, we sometimess use  the powder for 
>> other insects and I was also wondering if breathing any of 
>> that pow[d]er could do harm.

Borax used to be available from pharmacists in small packets here.  
It was commonly used as an eye rinse (suitably diluted of course :-);
but I gather it has been withdrawn from sale nowdays.  Seems some women
were using it as baby powder or similar, with very unhappy results.
So, you can't buy it in 500 g packets now - you can only buy it in
50 kg bags from your friendly fertiliser dealer!  (Presumably, silly
mothers don't buy fertiliser :)

>I'm not sure what this has to do with agroforestry :-)  perhaps because boron
>is phytotoxic???

Yes, it is.  But it is also essential.  It is a very common deficiency
in soils in this district.  The trick is to get the application rates
right!

Cheers,  Ian S.
-- 
Ian Staples                        E-mail : ianst at qdpii.ind.dpi.qld.gov.au
c/- P.O. Box 1054 MAREEBA          Phone  : +61 (0)70 921 555 Home 924 847
Queensland Australia 4880            Fax  : +61 (0)70 923 593   "   "   "