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EARTHWORM CASTINGS
 United States Department of Agriculture experiments have shown that in some areas earthworm convert 700 pounds of soil per acre, per day, into earthworm castings. These castings are generally mixed with the upper few inches of the soil causing a build-up in topsoil. Other experiments have shown that earthworms increase the relative rate of water infiltration from zero inches per minute to 1½ inches per minute in clay soil, and can increase the water stability of various types of soil by 3½ to 27%. Chemical analysis of soil without earthworms and of the same soil after being worked by earthworms showed the following increases:
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Experiments and reports have shown increases in yields of approximately 250% for corn, 64% for rye, 3% for oats, 135% for potatoes, and 300% for field peas through using earthworm tillage.
Dr. Thomas J. Barrett, famous earthworm experimentalist, scientist, and writer, tells of carrots weighing 6 pounds each, parsnips weighing 4 pounds each, turnips weighing 7¼ pounds each, potatoes at the rate of 1200 bushels per acre, onions at the rate of more than 800 bushels per acre…”, all of these on his Earth master Farms project, with the aid of his own earthworm stock. Food grown in fertile soil, with plenty of organic matter, is inherently larger and contains more vitamins and minerals. The soil and plants are also less susceptible to invasion by damaging insects and diseases.
The earthworm’s digestive tract generates enzymes that allow it to convert cellulose and carbohydrates (sugars and starches) into fattening food value faster than it can a protein, and yet proteins must be broken down by a bacterial process before they can become earthworm food. The ideal earthworm feed would have higher cellulose and carbohydrate content than protein content. Laboratory tests conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture have shown that earthworms thrive best on organic debris that contains nitrogen (which is a constant component of protein), as in legumes and manure. Almost all animal manure’s are excellent earthworm feeds. They contain from 4 to 20% protein, 0.7 to 2.77% nitrogen, and 30 to 60% organic matter.
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