_Workshop on the Role of Earthworms in the Stabilization of Organic
Residues, Vol. I and II._ Edited by Mary Appelhof. Kalamazoo,
Michigan: Beech Leaf Press of the Kalamazoo Nature Center, 1981. If
ever there was a serious investigation into the full range of the
earthworm's potential to help Homo Sapiens, this conference explored
it. Volume II is the most complete bibliography ever assembled on
the earthworm.
Appelhof, Mary. _Worms Eat My Garbage._ Kalamazoo, Michigan: Flower
Press, 1982. A delightful, slim, easy reading, totally positive book
that offers enthusiastic encouragement to take advantage of
vermicomposting.
Barrett, Dr. Thomas J. _Harnessing the Earthworm._ Boston: Wedgewood
Press, 1959.
_The Biocycle Guide to the Art & Science of Composting._ Edited by
the Staff of _Biocycle: Journal of Waste Recycling._ Emmaus,
Pennsylvania: J.G. Press, 1991. The focus of this book is on
municipal composting and other industrial systems. Though imprinted
"Emmaus" this is not the Rodale organization, but a group that
separated from Rodale Press over ten years ago. included on the
staff are some old _Organic Gardening and Farming_ staffers from the
1970s, including Gene Logdson and Jerome Goldstein. A major section
discussing the biology and ecology of composting is written by
Clarence Golueke. There are articles about vermicomposting,
anaerobic digestion and biogasification, and numerous descriptions
of existing facilities.
Campbell, Stu. _Let It Rot! _Pownal, Vermont: Storey Communications,
Inc., 1975. Next to my book, the best in-print at-home compost
making guide.
Darwin, Charles R. _The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the
Action of Worms with Observations on their Habits._ London: John
Murray & Co., 1881.
Dindal, Daniel L. _Ecology of Compost._ Syracuse, New York: N.Y.
State Council of Environmental Advisors and SUNY College of
Environmental Science and Forestry, 1972. Actually, a little booklet
but very useful.
Golueke, Clarence G., Ph.D. _Composting: A Study of the Process and
its Principles._ Emmaus: Rodale Press, 1972. Golueke, writing in
"scientific" says much of what my book does in one-third as many
words that are three times as long. He is America's undisputed
authority on composting.
Hopkins, Donald P. _Chemicals, Humus and the Soil._ Brooklyn:
Chemical Publishing Company, 1948. Any serious organic gardener
should confront Donald Hopkins' thoughtful critique of Albert
Howard's belief system. This book demolishes the notion that
chemical fertilizers are intrinsically harmful to soil life while
correctly stressing the vital importance of humus.
Hopp, Henry. _What Every Gardener Should Know About Earthworms.
_Charlotte, Vermont: Garden Way Publishing Company, 1973. Hopp was a
world-recognized expert on the earthworm.
Howard, Albert and Yeshwant D. Wad. _The Waste Products of
Agriculture: Their Utilization as Humus. _London: Oxford University
Press, 1931. Many organic gardeners have read Howard's _An
Agricultural Testament, _but almost none have heard of this book. It
is the source of my information about the original Indore composting
system.
_An Agricultural Testament._ London & New York: Oxford
University Press, 1940. Describes Howard's early crusade to restore
humus to industrial farming.
_The Soil and Health._ New York: Devin Adair, 1947. Also
published in London by Faber & Faber, titled _Farming and Gardening
for Health or Disease._ A full development of Howard's theme that
humus is health for plants, animals and people.
Howard, Louise E. _The Earth's Green Carpet._ Emmaus: Rodale Press,
1947. An oft-overlooked book by Howard's second wife. This one, slim
volume expresses with elegant and passionate simplicity all of the
basic beliefs of the organic gardening and farming movement. See
also her _Albert Howard in India._
Kevan, D. Keith. _Soil Animals. _London: H. F. & G. Witherby Ltd.,
1962. Soil zoology for otherwise well-schooled layreaders.
King, F.H. _Farmers of Forty Centuries or Permanent Agriculture in
China, Korea and Japan._ Emmaus: Rodale Press, first published 1911.
Treasured by the organic gardening movement for its description of a
long-standing and successful agricultural system based completely on
composting. It is a great travel/adventure book.
Koepf, H.H., B.D. Petterson, and W. Shaumann. _Bio-Dynamic
Agriculture: An Introduction. _Spring Valley, New York:
Anthroposophic Press, 1976. A good introduction to this
philosophical/mystical system of farming and gardening that uses
magical compost inoculants.
Krasilnikov, N A. _Soil Microorganisms and Higher Plants.
_Translated by Y.A. Halperin. Jerusalem: Israel Program for
Scientific Translations, 1961. Organic gardeners have many vague
beliefs about how humus makes plants healthy. This book
scientifically explains why organic matter in soil makes plants
healthy. Unlike most translations of Russian, this one is an easy
read.
Kuhnelt, Wilhelm. _Soil Biology: with special reference to the
animal kingdom. _East Lansing: Michigan State University Press,
1976. Soil zoology at a level assuming readers have university-level
biology, zoology and microbiology. Still, very interesting to
well-read lay persons who are not intimidated by Latin taxonomy.
Minnich, Jerry. _The Earthworm Book: How to Raise and Use Earthworms
for Your Farm and Garden. _Emmaus: Rodale Press, 1977. This book is
a thorough and encyclopedic survey of the subject
Minnich, Jerry and Marjorie Hunt. _The Rodale Guide to Composting.
_Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale Press, 1979. A very complete survey of
composting at home, on the farm, and in municipalities. The book has
been through numerous rewritings since the first edition; this
version is the best. It is more cohesive and less seeming like it
was written by a committee than the version in print now. _Organic
Gardening and Farming _magazine may have been at its best when
Minnich was a senior editor.
Oliver, George Sheffield. _Our Friend the Earthworm. _Library no.
26. Emmaus: Rodale Press, 1945. During the 1940s Rodale Press issued
an inexpensive pamphlet library; this is one of the series.
Pfeiffer, E.E. _Biodynamic Farming and Gardening. _Spring Valley,
New York: Anthroposophic Press, 1938.
Poincelot, R.P. _The Biochemistry and Methodology of Composting.
_Vol. Bull. 727. Conn. Agric. Expt. Sta., 1972. A rigorous but
readable review of scientific literature and known data on
composting through 1972 including a complete bibliography.
Russell, Sir E. John. _Soil Conditions and Plant Growth._ Eighth
Ed., New York: Longmans, Green & Co., 1950. The best soil science
text I know of. Avoid the recent in-print edition that has been
revised by a committee of current British agronomists. They enlarged
Russell's book and made more credible to academics by making it less
comprehensible to ordinary people with good education and
intelligence through the introduction of unnecessary mathematical
models and stilted prose. it lacks the human touch and simpler
explanations of Russell's original statements.
Schaller, Friedrich. _Soil Animals. _Ann Arbor: University of
Michigan, 1968. Soil zoology for American readers without extensive
scientific background. Shaler was Kuhnelt's student.
Stout, Ruth. _Gardening Without Work: For the Aging, the Busy and
the Indolent._ Old Greenwich, Connecticut: Devin Adair, 1961. The
original statement of mulch gardening. Fun to read. Her disciple,
Richard Clemence, wrote several books in the late 1970s that develop
the method further.