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Earthworm Culture 



STARTING EARTHWORM CULTURE 



INTENSIVE propagation for maximum results in soil-building re- 

 quires large numbers of worms, depending on the amount of 

 land to be used for garden, orchard, or farm. It should be 

 borne in mind and emphasized that intensive use of earthworms 

 bears about the same relation to earthworms as found in nature 

 as a power installation for production of electricity, such as 

 Niagara Falls, Boulder Dam, or Bonneyville Dam, has to the 

 unharnessed water power flowing down a native stream. We 

 use from one thousand to five thousand times the concentrations 

 of breeding earthworms per cubic foot of composted material 

 as would be found in the average natural environment with the 

 native earthworm population. 



The small city gardener may have only a few square feet 

 of earth, or possibly just a few potted plants or a window box. 

 Others may have a small kitchen vegetable garden or flower gar- 

 den. Still others may have a market garden or nursery, and 

 so on up to extensive acreage in orchard, farm, or ranch. Earth- 

 worm culture may be engaged in successfully, whether it be for 

 producing fine potting material for a few plants, a small garden, 

 or for acreage of any extent. A start may be made in a one- 

 gallon can or a small box, beginning with a few earthworm eggs 

 (called egg-capsules), or a few worms. The technique is prac- 

 tically the same, regardless of the size of the setup. 



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