80 HARNESSING THE EARTHWORM 



drip of the trees encouraged the worms to work that portion 

 of the soil most, as it kept more moist. Under such ideal con- 

 ditions, the earthworms rapidly increased until now they are 

 able to work every foot of soil in my grove in fact, I might 

 say. the soil is continually in motion. As the trees have a heavy 

 foliage of large leaves, the leaf-drop seems to furnish ample 

 food for the worms. 



I have used a soluble commercial fertilizer, calcium nitrate 

 or sulphate of ammonia, for the past twenty years, with the 

 exception of one year when I used cottonseed meal. Until six 

 years ago I averaged about 3^4 pounds of actual nitrogen per 

 tree per year, but the last six years I have averaged 1 1/3 pounds 

 of actual nitrogen per tree per year. There has been no organic 

 matter added to this grove since the fall of 1919. The quality 

 of the fruit has been above the average; also the sizes have 

 been in the desirable brackets. In my opinion there is no doubt 

 that the earthworms add fertility on the soil besides conditioning it. 



I also have a twenty-acre grove in sandy soil, which I took 

 care of in the mechanical way for fourteen years, and I saw 

 very few worms in all that time. For the past fourteen years, 

 however, I have applied my non-cultivation method, and the 

 worms are increasing every year. They started at the lower end 

 of the furrows, where the soil is heaviest ; and as the soil changes 

 from the accumulation of leaves around the trees, the worms 

 are able to live and increase. 



These groves are kept clean of weeds by hoeing; the fur- 

 rows have become shallow and wide from hoeing and raking 

 the leaves. The water can thus cover a larger area of the sur- 

 face, making as much soil as possible available for the worms 

 to use during the dry season, without extra expense. 



I also have a lot of sixty-five orange trees at home, which 

 I purchased a year ago. This soil is a heavy red soil and very 

 subject to plow sole. I am well pleased with the way the worms 

 have multiplied and eliminated the plow sole under my method 

 within the year; and they will no doubt continue to better the 

 soil and aid the trees. 



In regard to the amount of water used, I find that since 

 the worms have opened up the soil water penetrates more freely. 

 I can irrigate in a much shorter time and with a larger volume 

 of water per furrow. Under this method of non-cultivation, I 

 use a little less water, but the trees are able to use more of that 

 which is applied. 



