THE EARTHWORM IN SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE 55 



feeding an animal with a well-balanced food ration, which is the 

 ideal ration. The same applies to plant nutrition. 



Resistance to pests and plant diseases is increased by action 

 of earthworms, doubtless due to the production of a more 

 balanced soil without deficiencies such as are found in soils de- 

 pendent on chemical fertilization. Another important observa- 

 tion we have made, confirmed by numerous reports from earth- 

 worm culturists, is that fruit trees which have never borne fruit 

 become productive after earthworms have been established around 

 them. Undetermined deficiencies in the soil have evidently been 

 remedied by the addition of earthworms, resulting in unproductive 

 trees becoming fruitful. 



In the second part of this book, many of the above points 

 will be emphasized. 



