HOW TO RAISE EARTHWORMS (FOR FUN AND PROFIT)
(Page 2 of 6)
This prolific wiggler sells far better to anglers than any
other worm because it is tough and lively, stays on the
hook and—with its bright red color—excites fish
into biting faster. Gardeners are also anxious to buy the
hybrid worms because—just like the common varieties
from which they were developed—they've proven their
worth in the vegetable patch.
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Earthworms are now recognized as highly effective natural
agents for soil improvement and are especially helpful in
loosening and aerating the ground. The little creatures
initially perforate the top layers of earth and then
gradually penetrate into the subsoil, where their burrows
open passages for plant root growth.
The worms also eat soil and organic debris and the
resulting droppings or "castings" are a valuable fertilizer
in finely granulated form.
H.A. Lunt and H.G.M. Jacobson of the Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station have made very thorough
chemical analyses of earthworm castings and uneaten soil
collected from the top six inches of a field. They report
that the casts contained about five times as much nitrate,
seven times as much available phosphorus, three times as
much exchangeable magnesium, eleven times as much potash
and one and a half times as much lime (calcium) as the
plain dirt. The increases came from the organic material
consumed and digested by the worms.
Earthworm castings are, in short, one of the finest organic
fertilizers available. They can be purchased from some
nurseries and at almost any worm farm ... and if you're
going into the business of raising red hybrids yourself,
you may want to take advantage of this profitable sideline.
BUYING STOCK
Earthworms are sold throughout the year (although spring
and summer are the busiest seasons) and the initial
investment in breeding stock for a wiggler ranch varies
with the individual "farmer" and the kind of project he
plans. "Pit-run" red hybrids, for example, are of various
sizes (whatever the spading fork turns up) and can be
bought for as little as $2.75 per thousand. Then again, a
bin of the worms may sell for up to a flat $150 ...
depending on the size of the box and the average maturity
of its contents.
Doris Hubbell feels that the raising of earthworms for
profit is fairly easy work that doesn't require much
initial investment. You don't, for instance, need a fancy
or costly container in which to keep your stock. Barrels
cut in half, wood pits built around trees or anything else
you can dream up will be suitable. Even a simple washtub
will accommodate as many as 3,000 worms before the
population has to be divided. Climate—and how deeply
you want to get into worm raising—will guide you in
your choice of a "stable" for your "livestock".
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