The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-05

form In which the more delicate plants !
can make use of it. How is this done?
1t has been shown by scientists that
the vegetable mold which forms the
richest and most productive portions of
the soil, is formed chiefly by the inces
SAINT labors of the apparently useless
little creatures which we call earth
worms or angleworms. The uniform
fineness of this soil, its permanence
from remote times, and its continued
renewal whenever the land rests" are
facts that have confirmed tho view of
close observers that these animals so
low in the scale of organization and so
poorly provided with sense-organS, are
yet among the greatest of the servants
of mankind, and are active participants
i'm preparing for man the first actual
condition of permanent Civilizations
fertile and inexhaustible soil. !
In former chapter it was shown
how the acid called carbon dioxid eats
the rock and produces soil, but in the
soil itself other agencies continue the
work
Humus acids are in part formed by
the digestion of the half decayed leaves
which the worms consume Particles
of softer rock are ground in the mus
cular gizzards of worms, in which small
stones serve as millstones. The worm
castings are carried over the surface
ground by rain and wind, and the su-
perficial mold is thus prevented from
accommodating in any one place. In many
| places the worms bring a layer of earth
\ one-fifth of an inch in thickness to the
| surface of some acres in single year.
/ This fine powder, if formed on the up
lands or mountain sides, as it generally
| is in moist countries, is carried down
every valley, and finally to the ocean or
lake. Think of the Mississippi river.
1t lowers the soil surface of its enor-
nous drainage area two and a half
thousandths of an inch per year and
carries this soil into the gulf. In $780,
600 years. it should carry, at this rate,
all the soil of its drainage area into the
sea. This calculation shows that the
work of the earthworm in moist coun-
tries is comparable in amount with the
work of the greatest rivers.
The First Observer.
Gilbert White, an English clergyman,
100 years ago wrote one of the most
charming treatises on nature study that
ever came from the pen of any writer.
He was the first, apparently to write of
the earthworm. In his Natural History
of Selborne, letter 80, we read:
"SelbOrne, May 20, 1777.
Dear Sir: Lands that are subject to
frequent foundations are always poor;
and probably the reason may be that
the worms are drowned. The most in
significant insects and reptiles are of
much more consequence and have much
more influence in the economy of ma
ture than the injurious are aware of;
and are mighty in their effect, from
their minuteness which renders them
less an object of attention: and from
: their numbers and fecundity. Earth
worms, though in appearance small
and despicable link in the chain of ma
ture, yet, if lost, would make lament
able chaSm. For, to say nothing OF hall
the birds and some quadrupeds which
are almost entirely supported by them
worms seem TO be the great promoter:
of vegetation, which would proceed bu
llamely without them, by boring, per
| forating and loosening the soil, anC
rendering it pervious to rains and tn
fibers of plants, by drawing straws ant
stalks of leaves and twigs into it; ant
most of all, by throwing up such inf
mite numbers of Jumps of EARTH calle'
worm-caSts, which, being their excre
ment, is a fine manure for gram ah'
grass. Worms probably provide new
soil for hills and slopes where the rain
washes the earth away; and they al
feet slopes, probably to avoid beln'
flooded A good monography o
worms would afford much entertain
ment and information at the same time
and would open a large and new flelt
in natural history"
Observations by Darwin.
The monograph on earthworms which
Gilbert White desired to see, appeared
in 1896. from the pen of Charles Oar
win, in small but important volum
entitled 1.-THE Formation of Vegetabl
Mold" He shows that these worm
have played a more important part II
the history of the world than any on
would at first suppose. In humid coun
tries they are very numerous, and, 10
their size, possess great muscular pow
er, so that the particles of the softe
rocks are ground up in their gizzard
and voided as castings, which form tn
fine black mold, few inches in depth
covering the surface soil in nearly al
countries, and imparting to it the high
est natural degree of fertility.
Benefit of Earthworms.
In our irrigated regions the benefi
of the earthwOrm to the soil has beef
doubted, for the reason that the bur
rows made by these animals allow NOR
rapid evaporation, so that the soil i
made dry, and also because the bur
rows admit water too readily during ir
rigatiOn. But i'm moist climates, earth
worms are very beneficial. as well a
very numerous. In parts of England ;
weight Of more than ten tons Of DIR!