The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-06-01
DYNAMITE m LAND CLEARING.
Directions For Removing Rocks OF
Stumps BY One Who Has Learned.

Directions For Removing Rocks or
stumps BY One Who Has Learned.
A writer in the New England Home
stead tells a few Of the lessons he has
learned ii the use Of dynamite in land
clearing. In drilling rocks don't be afraid
OF drilling too deep. Dynamite Is a
powerful explosite, but it, energy is
not infinite, and 50 get It whore it will
do the most good il must be placed
deeply in the rock a hole drilled COM
pietely through the rock will nearly al
ways produce the greatest results, es-
peeially when the rock is a large one.
have done this on several occasions
and was never sorry | did, although l
do not recommend II TO be followed, as
rule. Ny rule Is to drill two-thirds
through an ordinary bowlder Of four
to 10 tons.
Be liberal with your dynamite. Don't
expect to get IS much out Of four ounces
Of the explosive as you would from q
pound. II Is the poorest kind Of eco
nomv to try to reduce expenses by u.s.
ing insufficient charges. Remember,
YOU viii never get as good a crack at a
rock or stump As you 90 the first time,
80 your aim should always be TO de-
mnlish It then. For that purpose a deep
hole should Be drilled and a heavy
charge inserted, which win usually in
sure the required result, II near build
inns hying fragments can usually be
prevented By laying logs or large pieces
Of rock on the side next to the build
ines
Have at least two grades Of dynamite
on hand. a hard rock requires stronger
dynamite than does one that IS soft. |
keep dynamite Of 40 and 60 per cent
strength on hand constantly although
4 / use Eve pounds Of the former e one
Of the latter. In blasting rock Of,
saw, so tons it is a good plan to use
both grades in about equal parts, put
ting the stronger at the bottom Of the
hole. where the heaviest work Is to be
done.
In removing trees or stumps try to
bring them out the first time. Hence use
heavy charges Don't try to remove q
stump or tree with one cartridge when
YOU ought to use five or six. In remov-
I ing a tree always explode your dyna-
mite under IL e. IL stands, and the
weight Of the tree in falling viii tear
I'D roots that would give you a lot OF
trouble otherwise II Is mighty poor
plan to cut the tree down first. In blow
ing out trees or stumps do not use q
| high grade Of dynamite. Use nothing
stronger than 40 per cent.
The value of these precepts ! have
learned BY experience. / once used AZ
cartridges Of dynamite in removing q
maple tree IS inches in diameter, when
six properly placed in the first instance
would probably have done the work.
Thinking Ia economic, ! used but two
cartridges in the first case, and these,
instead Of bringing down the tree, mere
| ~ loosened the dirt 50 thoroughly that
second effective blast was out Of the
question. TO remove a tree Of that size
| n rood shape a crowbar should be thrust
down in a slanting direction toward a
comon center III from four to six diff
ferent places between the roots, and SO
that the bottoms Of these holes viii be
a. close together a. uossible, q cartridge
81 dynamite be pushed down to the bot
tom az each hole, a cap being placed IN
| hut one. and the whole fired. The holes
should be at least three feet deep The
explosion Of one cartridge explodes all
of the others.