I brought this subject up some time ago with mixed results. This year I did mix in some charcoal in one area of my garden.
I had to pretty much let the garden go because of too may irons in the fire but from what I saw it didn't hurt the soil.
One of the most comprehensive books that covers the subject is one I have read three times now, called 1491. It is about pre-Colombian Indians and the way they lived before Europeans came along and spoiled the party. One section of said book covers the way folks down there treated the forest and soil. From what I have read they would burn off the trees in a small area grow crops for about 6-8 years and let it grow back. moving on to another spot. I the soil is farmed for about 10 years it wont come back.
One of the most misunderstood beliefs about native Americans from the so called tree huggers/environmentalist groups is the Indians lived without destroying or altering nature.
This makes my distant relatives look like a bunch of idiots that didn't have enough wits about their selves to do anything but hunt and gather.
This could not be farther from the truth.
The Amazonian black soil is a perfect example of this.
Indians of north America constantly burned the grass and underbrush all across the country.
They were also responsible for the chestnut trees that grew from one end of the east coast to the other until blight killed them off.
Well any how I gotta go I still have many irons in the fire one of them is completing my garage floor in rustic Oak. Gotta sand it and put down the oil then come the cabinets.
All of which I can proudly say I did on my own. My Back is killing me.
Please read the book you will love it.
One of the Indians in the book says something like this, "you can call us Indians or you can call us native Americans but when the white man leaves we can call our selves what we dam well please".
Well said I think.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...GpeDNwB1HnLerA
Worth who is about 1/8 Indian.