148 GEEAT STONES Chap. IU 



Tlie Sinking of great Stones through the 

 Action of Worms. — When a stone of large 

 size and of irregular shape is left on the 

 surface of the ground, it rests, of course, 

 on the more protuberant parts ; but worms 

 soon fill up with their castings all the hollow 

 spaces on the lower side ; for, as Henseu re- 

 marks, they like the shelter of stones. As 

 soon as the hollows are filled up, the worms 

 eject the earth which they have swallowed 

 beyond the circumference of the stones ; 

 and thus the surface of the ground is raised 

 all round the stone. As the burrows ex- 

 cavated directly beneatli the stone after a 

 time collapse, the stone sinks a little.* Hence 

 it is, that boulders which at some ancient 



years since, in autumn, I laid lime on an oat-stubble and ploiighed 

 it down ; thus bringing it into immediate contact with the dead 

 vegetable matter, and securing its thorough mixture through the 

 means of all the subsequent operations of fallow. In consequence 

 of the above prejudice, I was considered to have committed a 

 great fault ; but the result was eminently successful, and the 

 practice was partially followed. By means of Mr. Darwin's 

 observations, I think the prejudice will be removed." 



* This conclusion, which, as we shall immediately see, is fully 

 justified, is of some little importance, as the so-called bench-stones, 

 which suiTeyors fix in the ground as a record of their levels, 

 may in time become false standards. My son Horace intends al 

 some future period to ascertain how far this has occurred. 



