VI 



Earthworms in General Farming 



ONE of the questions most frequently asked is "How would 

 you utilize earthworms for large acreage and general farming?" 

 We are fortunate in having a fact story of a large Ohio farm 

 which was operated with full use of earthworms during the 

 period from about 1830 to 1890. Early in our research into the 

 subject of earthworms, we came in contact with the late Dr. 

 George Sheffield Oliver, pioneer earthworm culturist of Cali- 

 fornia. We became close friends and collaborators for a num- 

 ber of years prior to his death. In answer to our questions about 

 the use of earthworms for large acreage, Dr. Oliver related to us 

 the story of his early youth on his grandfather's farm. We can 

 think of no better way to present the technique for utilization 

 of earthworms in general farming and for large acreage than to 

 tell the story, reconstructing it very much as Dr. Oliver told it. 



While this story gives the broad basic principles for use of 

 earthworms in general farming, the earthworm farmer of today 

 will have the advantage of modern composting techniques and 

 many other improvements which have been worked out during 

 the past few decades. However, the earthworms remain the 

 same, for they have come down to us practically unchanged, 

 from remote geological ages to the present. 



In a later chapter, we shall give a report of earthworm till- 

 age on a modern farm, with results which are corroborative of 

 those reported as follows by Dr. Oliver. 



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