138 HARNESSING THE EARTHWORM 



the Earthmaster Culture Bed, the breeders are protected from 

 mixing. With one or more Earthmaster "egg-nests" for cap- 

 sule production, large compost piles may be impregnated and 

 culture material from such piles be used for establishing nu- 

 merous earthworm colonies in lawn, garden, orchard or fields. 

 For building up a battery of Earthmaster Culture Beds, the en- 

 tire increase from the original unit may be used and within a 

 few months the breeding units may be increased to a point where 

 it is possible to impregnate acreage. For small setups, such as 

 potted plants, or small yard or garden, a single breeding unit is 

 all that is required. 



HOW TO SERVICE AND USE THE 

 EARTHMASTER 



The Earthmaster Culture Bed is designed to house approxi- 

 mately 10,000 mature breeding earthworms, for maximum pro- 

 duction of egg-capsules and for convenient harvesting. In use, 

 the compost compartment (see photo No. 8) is filled with cul- 

 ture compost to the top of the side-wall members, which will be 

 within six inches of the top of bed. 



Mixing of Compost 



The mixing of compost exactly right will come with ex- 

 perience. The approximate composition of good earthworm cul- 

 Jure compost is^ne-third animal manure/ (horse, chicken, ^owt 

 _rabbit, sheep, or other domestic animal or fowl) ; [one-third. 

 vegetable matterj( grass clippings, leaves, kitchen refuse, such as 

 vegetable trimmings, coffee grounds, tea leaves, cooked or raw 

 leftovers, etc. in short, garbage) ; one- third good topsoil,, well 

 sifted. All green stuff is especially desirable for capsule pro- 

 duction, such as cabbage, lettuce, beet greens, carrot greens, etc. 

 If the manure is fresh, so much the better, but more topsoil 

 should be used in this case to prevent heating. Soil is added to 

 absorb odors, prevent heating and to add "body" to the earth- 



