+e > WORMS. 417 WRIGHTIA. 
grown. ‘This circumstance, com- 
bined with the difference of colour, 
aie led many persons to fancy the 
-ereatures found in the ant-hills to 
- be different from common woodlice, 
though, in fact, they are exactly the 
same, 
Woop Sacte.—Tetcrium Scoro- 
donia.—One of the British kinds | of 
Germander. 
Woo'psta. — Filices. — A very 
beautiful kind of British fern, with 
very delicate leaves. One species 
is a native of Brazil. 
Woop Sorrei.—See O/xauis. 
Woopwa’rpia.-—Filices.—Exotic 
ferns, natives of North America 
and Madeira. 
Worm Grass. — Spigélia mari- 
landica.—A hardy perennial, with 
dark scarlet erect flowers, some- 
thing lke those of the trumpet hon- 
eysuckle. This plant, though a 
native of North America, does not 
ripen its seeds in England ; and as 
it does not throw up many offsets, it 
is very difficult to propagate in this 
country. It is also very liable to be 
killed by transplanting ; and thus, 
though well worth growing as a 
border flower, it is very seldom seen 
in British gardens. It is called 
worm-grass, from its efficacy as a 
medicine for destroying worms. 
There is another species, a native 
of Jamaica, which has no beauty to 
recommend it. 
Worms.— The common earth- 
worm (Lvimbricus terréstris) is a 
most destructive creature in flower- 
pots. It has been ascertained that 
worms swallow earthy matter, and 
that, after having deprived it of its 
nourishing properties, they eject the 
remainder in the form of what are |: 
called worm casts, and whichains) 
of 
their burrows, to the surface, that 
they may not be in danger of swal- 
stinct teaches them to throw ou 
lowing it again. To find fresh earth, 
the worm is continually incited to 
penetrate the ground in different 
ba 
directions ; while, after each repast, 
it is induced to return to the surface 
to eject its cast ; and thus, ground 
inhabited by worms is sure to be 
thoroughly perforated and pulver- . 
ized. In a field, this has a good 
effect, as it lightens the soil, and 
renders it pervious to the air and 
rain ; but in a pot, every passage of 
the worm tears asunder the roots of 
the plant, which are pressed close 
together from the smallness of the 
space in which they are confined, 
and thus it does a serious injury. 
The common earth-worm moves by 
bristles, with which the rings of its . 
body are furnished, and which ena- 
ble it to move either backward or 
forward at pleasure ; and it emits a 
slimy substance which facilitates its 
passage through the earth; thi 
slimy matter adheres to leaves an 
other substances, which the worm 
drags after it along the surface of 
the ground, but which, as it cannot 
take them through its passages, they 
being only large enough to admit 
its own body, it leaves at the mouth 
of the hole where it disappears. 
When a worm is cut in two, it is 
generally believed that both parts 
will become perfect worms ; but, in 
fact, only the part which. contains 
the head possesses the power of 
throwing out a new tail; and the 
part containing the tail cannot form 
a new head. Worms are produced 
from eggs; and they are always 
most abundant im rich humid soil. 
When the casts are seen on the 
surface of earth in a pot, no time 
should be lost in turning out the 
earth on the hand, and picking out 
he worms. ‘The roots torn asunder 
ould then be thrown away, and 
e plant repotted in fresh earth. 
Wormwoop.—See ArTEMI'sIA. 
Wovunpwort.—Anthy'llis Vulné- 
ria—A. British plant, only. found in 
chalky soils. 
Wrack Grass.—See Zo’sTERA. 
Wri'Gutia.— Apocy'nee,— Hot- 
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