Chap. III. BKOUGHT UP BY WORMS. 147 



worm-castings were almost wholly absent. 

 Obscure lines and irregularities on the sur- 

 face indicated that the land had been cul- 

 tivated some centuries ago. It is probable 

 that a thick wood of young beech-trees 

 sprung up so quickly, that time enough was 

 not allowed for worms to cover up the stones 

 with their castings, before the site became 

 unfitted for their existence. Anyhow the con- 

 trast between the state of the now miscalled 

 " stony field," well stocked with worms, and 

 the present state of the ground beneath the 

 old beech-trees in Knole Park, where worms 

 appeared to be absent, was striking. 



A narrow path running across part of my 

 lawn was paved in 1843 with small flag- 

 stones, set edgeways; but worms threw up 

 many castings and weeds grew thickly be- 

 tween them. During several years the path 

 was weeded and swept; but ultimately the 

 weeds and worms prevailed, and the 

 gardener ceased to sweep, merely mowing off 

 the weeds, as often as the lawn was mowed. 

 The path soon became almost covered up, 

 and after several years no trace of it was 

 left. On removing, in 1877, the thin over- 



M 



