RECORD: Anon. 1881. [Review of Earthworms]. Croydon Guardian and Surrey County Gazette  (22 October): 5. 

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 11.2022. RN1


[page] 5

WE must no longer speak disrespectfully of a worm, and we must endeavour, as far as possible, to educate the early bird to an appreciation of the animal which forms his matutinal meal. Mr. DARWIN says it is to worms, and worms only, that we owe the vegetable mould out of which most earthly things spring. That if it were not for the wonderful action of worms the earth would be changed in character, the surface would be composed of rough and stony material, and sterility would be chronic. When we know that 53,000 worms are calculated to inhabit one acre of ground, we may naturally conclude that they are here for some good purpose, and that if they devour our choicest celery, or play havoc with our pet Regents, it is only a very small payment made to them for the power given to us to grow anything at all.

 


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

File last updated 24 November, 2022