EARTHWORM CULTURE 109 



strip of lath, six inches long, should be tacked on each end of 

 box, near upper edge, so that the box can be firmly grasped in 

 lifting. In the illustrations, we show a photograph of a lug-box 

 setup, with line-drawings to show the details described above. 

 We suggest very careful study and attention to details. 



Compost Mixing 



We usually speak of earthworm food as "compost." While 

 the compost may be thoroughly mixed in any convenient way, 

 on a bare spot of ground, in a box or other container, we have 

 found a mixing box, similar to a cement-mixing trough, a very 

 convenient and practical thing to have on hand. Such a mix- 

 ing box should be about twelve inches deep, three feet wide, 

 and five to six feet long, with smooth wood or metal bottom 

 and sloping ends. A metal bottom supported by wood, is pre- 

 ferred, as this makes a practically waterproof box and there is 

 no waste of water while mixing compost. Three cubic feet of 

 material can be conveniently mixed in such a box. Any surplus 

 material not used can be stored in the box and kept moist for 

 future use. The rotting of the material thus stored increases 

 its value as earthworm food. The compost can be mixed with 

 a rake, hoe, or shovel, in the same manner that cement is mixed. 

 It is well to screen the earth first in order to remove small stones 

 or hard clods, using a half-inch mesh screen, or even as fine a 

 screen as quarter-inch mesh. The sloping ends of the mixing 

 box facilitate the mixing and emptying of the box. Compost for 

 lug boxes should be very thoroughly broken up by chopping, 

 raking, or screening, similar to the preparation of fine potting 

 material. The finer the better. It should be borne in mind 

 that earthworms have no teeth and that they can swallow par- 

 ticles no larger that the mouth opening. 



While the preliminary mixing should be made with prac- 

 tically dry material, it can be lightly sprinkled to lay the flying 

 dust. As the material becomes well broken up, it should be 



