EARTHMASTER EARTHWORM CULTURE BED 139 



worm castings. The material may be thoroughly mixed with a 

 shovel or fork. 



Screening Materials 



The more finely broken up the material, the better. A feed 

 grinder may -be utilized for cutting up vegetable matter. The 

 topsoil should be screened through a half-inch mesh, or finer, to 

 remove small stones, hard clods, etc. However, good results 

 may be obtained by mixing the materials coarse and allowing the 

 earthworms to break it up. Production of potting material is 

 greatly accelerated by breaking up the material in advance for 

 quick consumption by earthworms. If one has the time, it pays 

 to prepare the compost in a finely divided state. 



Wetting Down the Compost 



After filling the compost compartment, material should be 

 thoroughly wet down and allowed to settle. Keep adding ma- 

 terial and wetting it down until the compartment is Jilled to 

 within six inches of the top with well-settled compost; then put 

 the sub-surface divider in place as shown in picture No. 9. 

 Thus you will have a space above the divider about six inches 

 deep, with the large mass of compost below the divider to form 

 the permanent burrowing ground of the breeders. 



Purpose of the Sub-Surface Divider 



The sub-surface divider is used so that, in the process of 

 frequent egg-harvesting from the material on top of the divider, 

 the permanent burrowing ground of the earthworms will not be 

 disturbed or broken up. 



Impregnating the Earthmaster Culture Bed 



After the sub-surface divider is in place (photo No. 9), the 

 space above it is filled with especially well-prepared culture com- 

 post of the same materials as that in the lower chamber, and 

 thoroughly wet down and allowed to drain and settle. After 

 settling, the material should be at level from one to two inches 

 below the edge of top rails. The entire bed should now be moist 



