The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-10-11
WORM FARM At NOTTlCHAM, ENC
AND

IANOs
When at Nottingham a few days
400. T was much pleased at the dis
covery of an entirely new industry.
namely. the rearing and edncatlon OF
worms for the purposes OF anglers:
Mr.. Wells, fiishing-tackle maker, OF
Sussex street, Nottingham, carries on
q bushes and trade in worms. lie
has several people in his employ who
collect worms every favorable night
during the year. He sells the follow
ing kinds of worms, namely, the loD
or dew worm, the cockspur, and the
ring-tailed branding. 1ndry weather
worms are very scarce; the men nave
to water the ground for them. In
wet weather the worms are Detter
and heavier. They are caught IN the
meadows and pasture lands IN the
neighborhood; the supply is not fall
ing. :,
The worms are sold by the Thousand
or the quart. In warm, moist mght
from two to six thousand worms are
brought in by the collectors. Some
people can collect worms much better
than others. The worms are very
cunning, and are apt to pop back into
their holes if the person treads heav'
lily. -
When the worms are brought in,
Mr.. Wells at once begins his training
operations by placing them in properly
selected moss. Stays horn moss will
not do at all, it is too harsh. Grass Is
bad. Field moss is the best. Inc
worms are put into the moss to scour.
A fresh-caught worm is very delicate
and tender, and easily breaks up when
put on the hook. When a worm is
properly educated he is as tough as
bit of india rubber, and behaves as
worm should whenput on hook. The
way to test worm is to take him ul
and pass the finger gently down the
length of him. If anything comes out
J of him he is not fit, and is put back fol
further training. The meaning OF
!, this is that the wild worms contain
} more or less food undergoing dlges
ton. When put into the moss this
food disappears. The moss in some
way facilitates this operation, but
cannot quite see how this is, unless
; the worms disgorge all their former
, food and practically become very little
else than skin.
The keeping of worms depends very
, much upon the weather. They vii
not keep we'll above week. Mr. Wells
has a supply of worms ready for nj
customers all the year round. liz
} goes over his moss very frequently
} picking out the mauled and mashed
| worms, and only sending to marke
: the plump and healthy ones, whlcl
: are packed up for market in moss; tn
bags used are Of light canvas.
Not only does M. Wells COLES
f worms, but he also breeds them II
s considerable quantities. In his gardel
g is a special heap made OF vegetabl
! matter, expressly for the purpose 0
e breeding worms.
e I shall not, of course, say VIVA
r substance for mountaineering is mos
a favorable: this is professional secret
r On turning the heap over where I'll
d worms are bred, it was very lnteres
e ING to see the worms in various stage
r of growth. Mr.. Wells knows froI
experience pretty well what the ag
Of q worm is. / had the pleasure {
nointing out to him the eggs OF tn
worm. These are about three line
&c long. and somewhat oval. They ha
- q sort Of lid at each end, which oper
&C. when the young are liberated.
- believe that two young are sometime
- produced from the same egg.
~ The business Of worm selling hi
= been going on some ten years and
y gradually increasing.-Frank Bue
= Lnnd. in Land and Water,
3, '"''O'