The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-08-25
DYAAAIITING SOIL A FAILURE.
So Thinks Captain Petty After
Watching Experiment.

The attempt to break land with dy-
Mantle by J. H. Caldwell has attract
ed little attention and less at home
than abroad. He selected a piece Of
land nearly level, broke it, bedded it
out deep and put in dynamite charges
about every eight feet in the water
furrows. We witnessed the discharge
of some of the dynamite. Our obser-
vation was that the clay in those holes
was broken about 20 to "a inches
deep. The breaking did not extend
out two feet from the place where
the dynamite was exploded.
The land which he dynamited was
a choice lot and with fertilizer judi
ciously applied would have made fine
corn or cotton without dynamite.
If there is any farmer in the State
who believes that dynamiting is a
cheap and effective way to break land
we suggest that he give it trial on a
small scale before he invests SIS or
500 an acre. Take piece of land
with unbroken, clay subsoil. Do not
plough it at all. Sink holes with
large crow bar six feet apart, and two
feet deep. Put in full charge or half
stick of dynamite, and touch it off. He
might try two dozen holes. He would
then know what dynamite was worth
for breaking clay. He would find that
at least half the clay was not shaken
or cracked. Then the expense would
be such that no farmer could stand it,
for it would require 1,210 charges to
one acre. Even if he used only half
a stick for charge he would find it
very expensive.
In the second place the principle is
wrong. A tough clay subsoil broken
a foot or two deep, will not run to-
gether again unless there is humus
to mix with it, Thin land, on which
there is little vegetable matter, can
not stand more than two inches of
the hard pan broken at one time.
More than that would injure the fol-
lowing crop unless much vegetable
matter should be added to it. All
clay lands should be deepened by de-
grees and hunus added every year.
Some farmers, who are judges OF
corn, have visited Mr.. Caldwells lot
and they say that he will not make
as much corn as some of his neigh
bors who have not spent half as much
time and money on their crops as he.
They also report that the last few
days have caused his corn to fire just
as much or more than his neighbors
who prepared their land in the ordi-
nary way. 1t is pretty certain that
none of Mr.. Caldwell''s neighbors will
dynamite their land next spring for
a corn crop.
Several inquiries have recently
been made in regard to planting for
a fall crop of Irish potatoes. 1t is
very seldom that good stand can
be secured by planting the potatoes
raised in the spring. When they do
come up well by the first Of Septem-
ber a good crop may be made. BY
planting twice as thick as they ought
to stand, enough may come up to give
a fair crop.
There was once red potato raised
in York county, which was also adapt
ed to fall planting. 1t would show no
signs of sprouting until July. 1t was
a medium size and quite prolific and
the potatoes were crisp and mealy
until July. The color was red. We
do not know whether that variety
is planted now or not, but if any
reader of this article has them, or
knows any one who raises them, the
writer would like to have the ad-
dress of the one who grows them
Capt. Chas. Petty of Spartanburg, in
News and Courier.