The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-10-25
ANGLE WORa CULTURE.
-
4 singular Industry- How Worms nrc
Trained.

When at Nottingham, n few days ago,
! was much pleased at the discovery OF
M entirely new industry--namely, the
rearing and educating of worms for the
purposes of anglers. Mr. Wells, fishing
tackle maker, Of Sussex street, Noting
ham, carries on a cuisines, and trade in
worms, lie has several people in his
employ who collect worms every favor
able night during the year. lie sells the
following kinds Of wormg--namely, lob
or dew worm, the cockSpur, and the ring
tailed branding. IN dry weather worms
are very scarce, the men have 10 water
the ground for them. IN wet weather
the worms are better and heavier. They
are caught in the meadows and pasture
lands in the neighborhOod, The supply
is rot failing.
The worms are sold by the thousand or
the quart. In II warm, moist night from
1000 to 5000 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 heavily.
When the worms are brought in Mr.,
Wells at once begins his training opera
tions, by placing them in properly Sc
lected moss. Stag horn moss will not
do at all it is too harsh. Grass is bad.
field mos, is the best. The worms are
put into the mos, 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 a. a bit Of india-rubber and
behaves ~ Il worm should when put on a
hook. The way to test . worm is to take
bin up and pass the finger gently down
the length OF him, II anything come,
out of him he is not fit, and is put back
for further training, The meaning of
this il that the wild worms contain, more
or les, food undergoing digestion. When
put into the moss this food disappears
The mos, in some way facilitates this
operation, but ! cannot quite see how
this is, unless the worms disgorge all
their former food, and practically be-
very little else than skin.
The keeping Of worms depends very
much upon the weather. They will not
keep well above Il week. Mr.. Wells has
a supply % worms ready iol his custom.
crs all the year round. lie goes 0ver his
moss very frequently, picking out the
mangIed and mashed worms, and only
tomarket the plump and healthy
ones, which are packed up for market in
moss, The bags used are Of light canvas
Not only does Mr.. Wells collect worms,
but he also breeds them in considerable
Quantities. In his garden is Il special
reap made Of vegetable matter, expressly
or the purpose of breeding worms. |
hall not, OF course, say what substance
or worn breeding is most favorable
his Isl professional secret. On turning
he heap over where the worms are bred,
t was really very interesting to zee the
worms in the various stages of growth.
Wells knows from experience pretty
veil what the aye of a worm is. had
he pleasure of pointing out TO him the
ggS Of the worm. These are about three
ines long, and somewhat oval. They
Iad a sort of lid AT each end, which opens
when the young are liberated. | believe
hat two young are sometimes produced
rom the same egg.
The business OF worm selling has been
DING on some ten years andjs gradually
Increasing. Eyauk R"ckLaM m Limit
md Winter