Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-08-12
aaliseellanruns Rsadius.
DYNAMITING SOIL A FAILURE.
So Thinks Captain Petty After Watch
ina Experiment


ing Experiment
The attempt to break land with dy-
Mantle by j. II. Caldwell has attract
ed little attention and less at home
than abroad. He selected a piece of
land nearly level, broke it, bedded II
out deep and put in dynamite charges
about every eight feet in the water
burrows. 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 dyna-
mite was exploded
The land which he dynamited was a
choice lot and with fertilizer judicious-
ly 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 to
500 an acre. Take a piece Of land
with unbroken, clay subsoil. Do not
plough it at all. Sink holes with a
large crow bar six feet apart. and two
feet deep. Put i'm a 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
fn l,~np Iii ,.1n 10 n n
at least half the clay was not shaken OF
cracked. Then the expense would be
such that no farmer could stand it, for
it would require 1,2l0 charges to one
acre. Even if he used only half a stick
for charge he would find it very eXpen-
sive.
In the second place the principle is
wrong. A tough clay suhsoil broken a
foot or two deep. will not run togeth-
er again unless there is humus To mix
with il. Thin land, on which there is
more than two inches of the hard par
broken at one time. More than that
would iniurc the following crop unless
much vegetable matter should be add
ed to it, All clay lands should he deep
ened by degrees and humus added
every year.
Some farmers, who are judges oi
corn. have visited Mr.. Caldwell's lot
and they say that he will not make as
much corn as some of his neighbors
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 10 fir" just as much ol
more than his neighEors who prepar-
ed their land in the ordinary way. il
is pretty certain that none of Mr.
Caldwelrs neighhors will dynamite
their land next spring for a corn crop.
Several inquiries have recently beer
made i'm regard To planting for a fal
crop of Irish potatoes. 1t is very sell
dom that a good stand can he secured
by planting the potatoes raised in the
the first of September a good crop may
be made BY planting twice as thicl
as they ought to stand, enough may
come up to give fair crop.
There was once a red potato raised
in York county, which was also adapt
ed to fall planting. 1t would show nC
signs of sprnuting until July. 1t wa:
a medium size and quite prolific ant
| the potatoes were crisp and mealy un'
| til July. The color was red. We Dc
not know whether that variety j:
planted now or not, but if any rcadc1
of this article has them. or knows an!
one who raises them, the writer would
| like To have TN" address of the On'
| who grows them.-Capt. Chas. Petty o
| Spartanhurg in News and Courier