WORMS. 



Gardeners and farmers express their detestation of 

 worms ; the former, because they render their walks 

 unsightly, and make them much work : and the latter, 

 because, as they think, worms eat their green corn. 

 But these men would find, that the earth without 

 worms would soon become cold, hard-bound, and void 

 of fermentation ; and,, consequently, sterile: and, be- 

 sides, in favour of worms, it should be hinted, that 

 green corn, plants, and flowers are not so much 

 injured by them as by many species of coleoptera 

 (scarabs), and tipulce (long-legs), in their larva or 

 grub state ; and by unnoticed myriads of small 

 shell-less snails, called slugs, which silently and 

 imperceptibly make amazing havoc in the field and 

 garden *. 



These hints we think proper to throw out, in order 

 to set the inquisitive and discerning to work. 



A good monography of worms would afford much 

 entertainment, and information, at the same time ; 

 and would open a large and new field in natural his- 

 tory. Worms work most in the spring, but by no 

 means lie torpid in the dead months ; are out every 

 mild night in the winter, as any perso/n may be con- 

 vinced that will take the pains to examine his grass- 

 plots with a candle ; are hermaphrodites, and much 

 addicted to venery, and consequently very prolific. 



* Farmer Young, of Norton-farm, says, that this spring (1777) 

 about four acres of his wheat in one field was entirely destroyed 

 by slugs, which swarmed on the blades of corn, and devoured it 

 as fast as it sprang. 



