The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-04-14
ANIMALS MAKE SOIL.
TWENTY SPECIES OF AMERICAN
MAMMALS ARE BuRRoWERs.
The Wonderful Work Eonc bv Ants.
Far'hw"rm>-Mhat sar,.. t,,~r.,. ir-
cnmpii,li-..,.i,ity of Tx. t,;,.;i.h In
Wet t.ruum!--t)hSrr,utiv;l.

The Wonderful Ncrl> I:unr i,y Ants.
Far'hw'.,m>-MI,nt Lar,.u t,.~ry,. ic-
c"mpii,li-..,.i,itv of ii," t,..s.i,h In
Wet Gruum,!--Db>cr,utiv;i..
Although '!lv rsrthworln, ar,. untull!,te,lly
very important agent, in ovurtui,inr and
bir;tSiiS up ol soil. it appears lu ln, that
i!'r> ATE MOS; effective in the tillcd field, or
IN the natural an,l artificial .,9,s, lands So
far as | have been ahl. To observe. these
creatures ar" rarely found in our ordinary
forests, where II thi''l. layer of Leaf mold,
r"ininInslet with branches. lies upon the
earth. ih" character OF this deposit Is such
that III" creatures &rr NOT rompr,.ll; ,on,al.r
thelr way thtuu.,h ii, aud tlrv therefore. in
III" mann ;'N"ll surh situations Moreover.
wherever the soil is ui Il Very ~;.n,ls nature
carh""rms are s'sn,ly found. il they are
prrscn, at all fhc>,' worms, are ,ra,.ticaIir
linitctl To the soil, ut IL somewhat ,av,.v
character. which have no couti, of ,,cc.ave,!
vegetation upoa tnrni.
Us the greater portion ut the existing soil
has been produced i'll forest rc,;un~, shall
iirs; examine ,|Ie action vi various animals
upon the SOILS III Wuo,r,l countries Tho
mammal, are of ail our Vertebrate, he most
ctlevii'a in their action upon ll., ,o;l of
forests. Twenty species ur moro OF our
American mammals ;,rn hurruwcrs in thr
forest bed. They either make their l.abi,a-
ti"ns beneath HE ground az r,,,,,i ta i, in
pursuit ol food. OF ,l!c.,. ,,ul, nrrowi,v.,
rodents are perhaps The most effective. lint a
large number Of either small mammals resort
Ia the earth and mako considerable rX,ava-
ti"ns. In forming their hurrows or in the.
pursuit "i other narrowing animals ,h,s,.
creatures "itrn penetrate th.oush III, whole
OF greater portion of tie soil covering. Tho
material whic., is withdrawn from tI.c bar
row is accumulated shout lis mu,ltl,. Tho
result is tn" "Nnllurning of /; cu.l-i,lcral,!,.
amount of he cart, aud IA consequent, cont
minSling of th" material with y,r.e!able
matter. Nlien hruught 10 the Surface and
left exposed 1" the action ut i!o,, ,,,, irrali-
n@ up al the material l.. ;clrn,lv favored. and
thus the Il lrlation oi he -u.l j, i,,rihtlt"l
Considerable Us is th, ,ii'ur. Of Inllrowin4
mammals. the principal oYelHurHing Of ths
.;sr,n in ",tr lliln"v;Il forest, il accomplished
hN TN" invcrtci,ratc anmnls Where the
M,s";s ale rot. very ,lrns,,. ana! particularly
where the soil j. serncl, l,,' sandy our a.lcs.
species oi ;nt, ;,r" Very effective agents in
working over the soil T!leir burrows extend
To the depth "i solue feet below ill.,. surface,
and each hill hrina, tot iit. air several cubic
feet oi eHc;,vatc1 matter, which. a. SLIGHT in
Slr"tI"n shows, is much ro!il!li.l,- l.d witt.
vegetable matter. Wherever tlc@,, AM hills
aI"'uhd they commonly r&i~, 10 tin" .iuui,vi.
of IL score "r more ON each ncre and the t,t-
culanl, Of each hill, in !.,t.i!g eases. bring as
much as cubic foot of nrltt'y t" Tn. surface
in the course of II singh, year Thc action Of
tcrial ON every side ni the hill w n.tvuiirn
n!l>pr,"u hin layer of so,liu"nl st, n,lii!g
f"raroES,lcrihe ,i,trlc. ilpt.ttllo, lryat ION
As is well known To AL! iE!asc who haze in
spcctcd the -oil within virgin forests, The
earth j, occupied ls II host Of lary,l insects,
principally belonging IA, Tho GI",ll, ut l,ctl,.s
bui nrlirlilEs;i also nanny "r,,lon"rIt, Insects
Thc>n creatures in Tia" col,s,. "t ,!,i, lit, I'm.
drrsr"unh dlsllacr u good dead Of soil, a ,u,r-
non "i which is 'h',lW', upon he sltr!;.rr, ,h,
greater part, hoHrN.i hiM { I,Iorrl, ,is!u,igc.l |
bcn"ath the sNrac" The cll.", however, Is
tu r"lsnnin:Slc und TO break NV tbr SOIL. aud
thus favor ill., con;minutivn Alt!uugh tn.
roots "i tree do lay iar Tn" l,r@er ,a,l, Of the
r"nlip,s whi''h i, accomplished II. th. soil
layer, 'll''5' 1t" moi lrins about mach com
lnnGiing "t ll.r soil.
Whrr, the. woods as.. wet aud favor the de-.
vclonm"mt of tl!r ';avfi,h h" rli.c, of thi,
group of animals on the "vclt,.lr,iil.s Of the
soil is "Xl,,lnol. pr.at. II probably c%ror,ls
hat which Is accomplished IN our ordinary
.icld, lay th' action of tIr cs,rlhw"rm. 4
single rrayii-h ;.ill often ilil9 in tli" course
Of ~ single scaso4 activity n~l l.-s ,la, half
Il cubic loot .i earthly matter in Tie Surface
In certain districts vi, ic these animal,
nj tl,,iI lac.