Free from School

is very knowledgeable about trains since he has worked in the railways all his working life. My mum had requested him to check my d

making me double-check that I had my ticket, sufficient cash, little

t about 8.30 p.m. on the 7th. Having travelled on a couple of journeys by train during the past few month

ak with them nor with anyone else on the journey but contented myself with watching the countryside we passed through and the hustle and bustle at each station, and when I was bored I just went to sleep. I had about Rs.500 with me in cash and some of thi

f them were not keeping good health. Not knowing where exactly Uncle Mano would be waiting I walked towards the entrance keeping a careful lookout for him. Yet, I failed to recognise him when I saw him for his hair was whiter than when I had seen him last. He recognised me, however, from the bright yel

choice of studying at Dr Bhawalkar's centre in Pune or Dr Ismail's institute in Chennai. But I chose Chennai because I had heard Dr Ismail speak at the organic farmers' convention in Kottayam and had liked his talk very muc

the route to New College. On the way he pointed out to me various landmarks which would help me know my way around, and gave me general bits of advi

d we saw the biogas plant, the garbage collection pits, the culture crates and the organic compost now ready for use.

us by 7 a.m. from Ashok Pillar to Panagal where I had to change buses and get on one going to New College. Usually I would land up at the College by 8.30 a.m. or so and would be at the College till about 3.30 or 4 p.m., after which the journey would be reversed. These ti

me by Dr Ismail. Later I started to observe the different types of earthworms, their movements, colour and other characteristics. I also

ormerly the main library. Each one had a separate desk to work and when I came I was also given my own desk and chair. The big hall

acked in the narrow corridor outside the study hall, where we also gathered to eat our lunch in the afternoons. Usually any

re content and texture. I also observed the other organisms present in the soil and took photos of microarthropods with the help of a comp

o to the conductor (who is seated at the end of the bus) and buy the ticket. So while I waited for the conductor to come on his rounds two inspectors came up to me and caught me for not buying the ticket. One of them started shouting at me in a forceful stream of Tamil. After much action and han

wever, as this bus started gathering speed I found it very difficult to hold on because the weight of so many people began to press against me and it felt like I was

I reached familiar landmarks which would get me home. Often I found that I had alighted from the bus a few stops before or after my destination. On one suc

use of my rather careless and casual ways and the laid-back lifestyle I had acquired and was thoroughly enjoying. Uncle Mano would constantly be shouting at me

a sloppy fellow and would slouch around on the sofas after coming back from the college, channel surfing as I watched TV, which must have been quite exasperating for both of them. Anyway, they took very good care of me, not only in terms of feeding me but also goi

ts fro

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then went back to the lab where we put the soil sample into the tulgren funnel. I then went and brought three more samples from the vermi-tech pit. We then put these also into three other tulgren funn

ing we went out to the College playground and also to the area near the College Boarding to make some observations. We dug two pits of 25 cm x 25 cm x 25 cm each at the playground and one, of the same size, at the Boarding. We made many observatio

there was a condolence meeting today. After that everybody left as it was declared a holiday. I arrived home at about 10.30 a.m. I had a bath and then some food. I

. After we finished one sample, the voltage started fluctuating so we used the tulgren funnel instead. Then Jagan sent me to get soil samples from the field and from the area near the Boardin

hen sieved each soil sample through 5 sieves. Then

orning. In the evening, used Keenscups to f

metime. Then did a bit of soil sieving and then did burning of soil in a bunse

ough. In the evening I went with Babu to buy a

hotographed microarthropods with the help of the compound microscope that has a came

to find out the waterholding capacity of different soils, weighed burnt soil, also learnt how t

. Then I gave it to Chitra who corrected it. After she fi

s we had clicked earlier in the various spaces in the notebook. Then Sir said that I would have to prepare a v

for final approval. He made me write a few lines about each photograph. He said I should come

ys la

ng. Met all my friends there. All of them wrote their remarks in my report book and then it was stamped. Sir gave me a certificat

es on Ver

Garbage

r nowadays. Ordinary organic garbage which consists of litter, such as, kitchen waste

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resent on the top layer of the soil. Two, the anecic earthworms (Lampito mauritii) which are present in the upper layers of soil and feed

s the Perionyx excavatus is almost black in colour. It is smaller and thinner (approx. 10 cms long) and more active compared to the Lampito mauritii. They also

skin, they perish if their skin becomes dry or the quantity of mucus diminishes. Hence to keep earthworms alive in the vermicompost containers, care should be taken to ensure that the vermibed remains moist. Earthworms however do not prefer waterlogged

of skin) and produce cocoons which take about 14 days to incubate and hatch into juveniles. Maximum three juveniles are hatched from each cocoon. From the juvenile to the clitellate stage i.e. the fu

icom

g organic matter. Although not necessary, two crates can be used simultaneously; while o

f sand should be spread. Over that, a five to six inch layer of soil should be spread. Then Lampito mauritii and Perionyx excavatus earthworms should be introduced. The soil must then be moistened with water. A little bit of cowdung (nitrogen) and some

. Once the container is full with organic waste, it should be covered with a little soil and allowed to decompose undisturbed. Only watering the pit should continue. After it has decomposed fully (roughly 45 days) watering must be stopped for about 3 to 5 days. This will force the earthworms to

miw

placed on supports a little above the ground. A hole should be made at the bottom of the

nd then a layer of soil (6-8 inches) should be spread. The earthworms should then be introduced and the soil moistened a lit

0 litres drum). The water will pass through the earthworm burrows and the organically rich soil will become liquid manure and can b

clu

material, twigs, bark, dead wood, flowers, fruits and other plant and animal material) that falls on the ground is

ecretions, mix and form humus. This humus is in a complex form and therefore not available to the plants for use. Here is where earthworms come into the picture. The earthworms present in the soil feed on the humus. The castings (wormicasts) excreted by these earthwo

are wonderful creatures for they