The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-09-18
To Blast Stumps with Dynamite.

Continual inquiries from cores
pondents all over the country in re-
lation to the employment of dynam-
lite for clearing land give evidence
that farmers are willing to avail
themselves Of any safe and efficient
assistant offered in the arduous L.
Dor of converting stump-burdened
acres into profitable farm land.
The unanimous testimony of all
who have experimental with the
preparation of nitro glycerine IN blast
ing has set at rest all doubts as to its
efficiency, and while as yet the cost
Of clearing with dynamite in dollars
and cents appears to be nearly equal
to clearing with ordinary stump-ma-
chimes, the gain in time and labor is
SO great as to leave no choice be-
tween the old and the new method.
Therefore the chief obstacles yet in
the way of its general use are the
fear Of the farmer in handling dynam-
ito and the inability of manufac-
turers to send direct small quantities
| ordered, by the ordinary means Of
! transportation, under the rigorous
laws now in force in connection with
( all explosive materials.
The last difficulty is being gradu-
ally overcome, however, by the estab-
lishment Of agencies throughout the
States whose business it is to supply
individual wants, furnishing instruo-
tions in regard to its application, or if
desired, accomplish the work of clear
| ing, these agencies receiving their
supply from the head source by car
or boat load on freight train or tug.
| 1t would also appear from the tes-
timony generally given, and from
the manufactu. ers; assurance based on
the experiences of their operatives,
that when handled carefully and used
according to direction no harm
need be arprehended.
The Heoo4s oper0nM as given in
detail by one Of the New York man
ufacturers for blasting out stumps
with rendrock, or dynamite, is as fol
lows: First insert one end Of the fuse
into the cap which is furnished for
the purpose, taking care not to touch
the illuminate in the bottom Of it.
Next squeeze with Il pair of nippers,
the upper portion Of the cap close
around the fuse so rs to hold it in
position. Then take the cartridge
Of rendrock, open one end, and with
a sharp stick about the size of lead
pencil make hole in it for the fuse,
put the fuse end that has the cap on
in, press the powder around it, draw
up the paper end of the cartridge
around the fuse and tie with a string.
If the ground is wet soap well to
keep the water from getting to the
cap. Next with crowbar make a
hole under the stump as near the cen
ter as possible and close to it, so that
the charge will touch the bottom OF
the stump. Put in the charge, leav-
ing about twenty inches Of the fuse
sticking out of the hole; tamp the
hole we'll with clay; pour water on
to ill all the places that have not
been closed with clay, taking care
not to wet the fuse; light the fuse
and get out of the way. If the ap-
plication has been made with the
above directions the rendrock will do
it's work, and the stump will not only
jump out of the ground, into the air
but will be ready to cart into the
wood-house when ii comes down
again. Stu,nps having tap-roots may
be bored with an augur from the TOT
down into the tap, loading and firing
S in the usual way.
c Singlc-tapc fuse is considered th'
y safest and best according to thu
manufactures, who adds to his di
4 rections the following imperative
J. caution: DO not keep caps Will
= powder. Never let them come nea