Kay, Perhaps a consultation with the county conservation agent or a biology teacher from a high school or one of the biology professors from the college, might be a starting point. The cleaning agent "Simple Green" has been used by members of my family on headstones for a mold condition. It is bio-disposable. Good luck from another Shady Grove descendent (Irby & Johnston, etc) Judith Welsh On May 29, 2007, at 9:35 PM, Kay Snow wrote: > I have been working on adding some cemetery photos to the Polk Co. web > site. > Since I have family at Shady Grove #1 and Trimble those have had most > of my > attention. > > I wish everyone would take a look and tell me what they think. Some > of the > tombstones are being covered with a "substance" I don't know if it is > some > kind of moss or something else. If you know what it is and how to get > rid > of it I would really appreciate it. > > Some of the stone are so covered they can't be read and I would like to > "uncover them". > > Thanks as always, > Kay > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~mopolk/shadygr_cem_list.html > > Click on "GRIFFIN Elijah M(ilton) to see the picture > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MOPOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Hi All, I have nothing scientific as to this remedy, but i've been told: "regular aerosol mens shaving cream is the item to use for clearing the inscriptions to make them readable". It has been several years since I received this advice and cannot vouch for it, as i've not tried it. Instructions were to spray it on the inscriptions and wait a few minutes, then wipe off with clean cloth. I was assured it wouldn't harm the stones. Anyone know of this method? If this is true, I imagine the whole stone could be cleaned, at least on the smooth services. Jim A