Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-14

dampness In fact, . real dry earth worm means a very dead earthworrn. It me4ns life 10 him. and life Is about all he has, anyhow. If there IS too
 much rain. the earth becomes satu-
 rated and unless he would drown he
 must get out at once. If it gets too dry, he is~unable to bore his way. And
 since his food consists of earth, and
 he cannot swallow dry dirt, he must
 go deeper, where things are nice and damp.
 This worm is of vast service to the agricultural interests of the world. Day and night year in and year out, he Is busily engaged in boring holes through the soil, letting in the sun light and the rain to the roots of grass and plants, and thus helping to keep the soil open and porous. It is said by those who have looked into the matter that were it not for the labors Of the worm the soil would at last become packed so hard that the rain could not soak in sufficiently to ffeshen and feed vegetation; and fertile fields would become deserts. The earthworms take from the depth and bring to the surface of the soil very large amount of material | that is vital to the growth and life of plants. So we are led to believe that he is Of more service to the world than many off the hunaps use him
 only for bait. a
 1 His method of getting about is en- | tirely different from that of the ser. hpent tribe; though he resembles them
 in shape and appearance. He has a sort of a spira. spring running from l one end of his body to the other, and by pushing his; head forward and giuing it down by the slimy fluid | with which he is supplied, and then releasing the tail end, the spring con tracts and brings the hinderpart with 1 When under ground and when desir- ing to go in a certain direction he just
 bores in as far as he can and swallows
 the earth that may be in the path
 His body is supplied with small priekles or hurs which he can erect or depress at pleasure. and which serve
 to hold him in position while he is
 drilling his way. ~ ,l Under the skin is an oily juice , which can be elected through the per forations between the rings as it may be needed. This. fluid. acts ass a lu. . bricant and helps him in his passage
 through the earth. Mechanical, ! speaking, he keeps himself vel
 creased and never starts on a journe! : without his oil can. He is built with, out a sign of brains but he gets alon. 5 without them. He has heart tha , sometimes counts for more tha, : brains. He is provided with a moutl and also stomach that extends tn
 length of his body. Eyes and ears ar : both lacking, but when one comes t :, 1 think of it he has very little use fo I I either. l The kind of soil that most appeal
 to the earthwcrm is that which l light, lo&my and rich; but he shun T those places where the water is ap F to lie on the surface, as well as thos ] where the clay is stiff and hard . Blind and helpless as they seem t t be, worms elude their ancient chem, ' the mole. The instant they feel tn q earth move away they drop anythin g they may be doing and make brea
 Tor the upper air. where they knol }, the mole is not likely to follow. They lay a great many eggs in tn r ground. These are said to hatch i s about fourteen days. The young worn, Q are very small but perfectly built. I
 winter they work themselves deep int
 the earth. The warm sun of tn ., spring revives them and once mor
 they take up theirssunde plo1 ing. Nature ie quite generoW. to tn
 worm in providing breathing organ
 | as these are scattered, by the doze along his back. When not at home 2 ttTe earth. you will find him crawlir around in an old tomato can on tI bank of river. lake or pond
 Il GABRIELLE BUJAK, Age IA. a Mansfield Center.