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The last book Charles Darwin wrote, this classic on earthworms was a bestseller in that day from the start--selling just as many copies as Darwin's book on the origin of the species. Although Darwin began his observations on earthworms as a young man, it was only later in life... Read Full Overview

The share which worms have taken in the formation of the layer of vegetable mould, which covers the whole surface of the land in every moderately humid country, is the subject of the present volume. This mould is generally of a blackish colour and a few inches in thickness. In... Read Full Overview

Darwin had been intrigued by the earthworm for forty years, but it wasn't until 1881 that he produced the volume that would illuminate this "unsung creature which, in its untold millions, transformed the land as the coral polyps did the tropical sea." The volume, which focused... Read Full Overview

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) has been widely recognized since his own time as one of the most influential writers in the history of Western thought. His books were widely read by specialists and the general public, and his influence had been extended by almost continuous... Read Full Overview

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely... Read Full Overview

This book, published in 1881, was the result of many years of experimentation and observation by Darwin in the open-air laboratory of his garden at Down House in Kent. As he wrote in his introduction, the subject of soil disturbance by worms 'may appear an insignificant one,... Read Full Overview

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) was an English naturalist who achieved lasting fame by producing considerable evidence that species originated through evolutionary change, at the same time proposing the scientific theory that natural selection is the mechanism by which such... Read Full Overview

Charles Robert Darwin, 12 February 1809 - 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors and, in a joint publication... Read Full Overview

"The Formation of Vegetable Mould" from Charles Darwin. English naturalist and geologist (1809-1882).

Darwin in his Introduction states the following: "The share which worms have taken in the formation of the layer of vegetable mould, which covers the whole surface of the land in every moderately humid country, is the subject of the present volume... I was led to keep in my study... Read Full Overview