32

36 36 216 108. 1296 square inches

6 [x] 6 [=] 36 [x] 6 [=] 198

The castings thereafter very compact when dry.

(I feel sure I have seen casting over such spaces where if spaced out in cases at which several spaces 1/4 inch deep)

Weigh earth

Manner of measuring quite dry — well chalked put in by [illeg] - Considering dryness that earth beneath get in more or less fall of roots vacuities &unites as when by puffing up of air after dry weather when also watered — I think my measurements wd if the great dry earth give a fully equal thinking of ordinary vegetable surface mould in pasture land.

On a sandy common at height of about 950 ft square yard marked, but not so often visited as some distance from Houses. Therefore the less certainly much more especially as casting more sandy & even during dry weather sometimes crumbled into dust — after very wet weather even more loss so less than real amount cast up. (The other square on Terrace, about average for castings perhaps water beneath: certainly some sites far more frequented by worms — Commons seem particularly good. Why?)

32v

Note on the amount of Earth thrown up on the surface by Earth-worms in the course of a year.

Many years ago I read a paper on the subject before the Soc. which was published in Transacts & illustrated by woodcuts. My object in publishing it was partly to illustrate a considerable effect produced by very slight & apparently inefficient cause [acting] during my years & partly because I had been pushed by having [2 words illeg] , a coin some depth beneath the surface of meadow. I could not conceive how they got so deep into earth beneath the entangled roots of the grasses. In like manner in stony country, if not be seen & I have carefully watched during the course of much time a score of years, the product, but at last complete disappearance of every stone from the surface gives [illeg] & answer. The view has been objected to by more than one writer. On account of the apparent influence of the means, in reaction to the effect produced. No other explanation however have been offered of the burying of objects, excepting the decay of the grass; but this then considering such the percentage of ashes is in grass could not be marl & most of matter wd be reabsorb

In consequence I persuaded a friend one whom I cd completely trust & few are interested in the subject to meet the to hope this month is Sunny in square yard & carefully watched all the castings from the beginning of 1870 to 1871 on a [illeg] grass terrace, [illeg] near his House, facing S but slight shaded, with square shallow from fixed in ground, in Surrey.

which was then kept for early part of October 1870 to do in 1871 & be called late year

But there were some caught up, from short absence of a week or so & if heavy rains cum winds it's often the worm is cast up in [illeg] to be washed away. [illeg] wastes from wet casting adding to black grass, so shd not be removed.

He observed few castings in middle of summer most in Spring & Autumn.

Now removed, & weighed.