OF SELBORNE 185 



stalks of leaves and twigs into it; and, most of all, by 

 throwing up such infinite numbers of lumps of earth called 

 worm-casts, which, being their excrement, is a fine manure 

 for grain and grass. Worms probably provide new soil 

 for hills and slopes where the rain washes the earth away ; 

 and they affect slopes, probably to avoid being flooded. 

 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 besides, 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 Hpulae, (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 afix)rd much 

 entertainment and information at the same time, and 

 would open a large and new field in natural history. 

 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 person may be convinced that will take 

 the pains to examine his grass-plots with a candle ; are 

 hermaphrodites, and much addicted to venery, and conse- 

 quently very prolific. 



I am, etc. 



•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. 



