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Earthworm Tillage 



WE SHALL define "earthworm tillage" as a general term cover- 

 ing methods adopted to encourage the maximum development 

 of native earthworm population in the land. And as a practical 

 part of earthworm tillage methods, we should include intensive 

 propagation of earthworms for "seeding" the land with egg- 

 capsules, not only to accelerate the development of a numerous 

 worm population in the shortest possible time, but also as a 

 method for utilizing every possible organic waste material in 

 building topsoil to be used as a top-dressing in garden, orchard 

 and farm. 



In our chapter on "My Grandfather's Earthworm Farm," 

 the methods described would be classed as earthworm tillage. In 

 the chapter on "Orcharding with Earthworms," we touched on 

 earthworm tillage methods as followed by Mr. Hinckley in his 

 citrus orchard. We should say that Edward H. Faulkner's 

 book Plowman's Folly is primarily an able discussion of earth- 

 worm tillage. In fact, the remarkable results reported in that 

 book we should attribute to the fauna of the soil, with very great 

 emphasis placed on the earthworm population. However, the 

 question is not "to plow or not to plow" ; we shall not enter that 

 controversial field. We advise every student of earthworm cul- 

 ture to read carefully Plowman's Folly, as well as everything 

 else he can find on organic methods. It is all instruction in 

 earthworm tillage and earthworm culture. Once the basic prin- 



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