The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-07-07
FARMING WITH DYNAMITE.
Explosions Break "Hard Pan" and
Conserve Seasons Rainfall.

Topeka, Kan, June Is Dynamite
farming may become very conucn
agricultural method in Kansas and
other middle west states. The state
CT Kansas is working out some expert
ments with dynamite farming on the
farm of Samuel ]. Crawford, war gov
ernor of the state. Most of the farm
ing sections of Kansas are underlaid
nth soil foundation known as
Iran" 1t is not so hard as stone,
harder than common soil, and
SAnts cannot go through
QNa this hardpan APP
"a, and in other
10 feet. When
at 81 has no APP
On Goverfi0t MS farm the
hardpan comes ci&1 10 the surface,
and as this conditionRis the only one
where the experiment is likely to
prove successful, Governor Crawford
gave the state the use of some of his
ground for this year.
Il have done some experimenting
with hardpan and dynamite" said Gov
ernor Crawford the other day. IF this
formation is close to the surface it
forms perfect floor and the moisture
cannot get down to the subsoil
Roots of growing plants go down
to the hardpan and can go no further,
and when bad growing weather comes
they curl up and die If we break
UP the hardpan it stores the water as
in a reservoir, and in dry weather this
reservoir gives up it's moisture to the
crops. -s-grt-,-'s --:.''7
The state, through the agricultural
department and the agricultural de-
partment and the agricultural college
| took up the scheme of dynamiting the
hardpan at Governor Crawfords sug-
gestion The powder mills were ask
ed for low grade explosive, and they
are turning out dynamite for break
| ing up the hardpan at cost OF about
$3.50 per acre.
Early this spring a field was taken
as the test field. Holes were drilled
25 feet apart and in rows 100 feet wide
| The sticks of dynamite, containing 2t
per cent of nitrate ammonia powder
were put down to depth of three feet
Half the sticks were set off by bat
terry and half by fuses. The battery
explosions seemed to be the best. The
hardpan was thoroughly pulverized fol
! SIX IeGt EACH Sluc VI IlC vi III llOlSo cAAAN
large crack ran for considerable dis
| lance in all directions from the holes
| showing that the explosions had brok'
en- out assures through the hardpan
Around each hole large reservoir
was erected where several hundred
gallons of water was stored during the
spring rains for use in the dry sum
mer months.
Corn, oats and other spring crops
are being planted. Part of the fell
was not dynamited, and this is being
planted also to demonstrate the eff
cheney of the new farming method. |
will show whether or not the dynamit
ing did any good. The rows were TO-
feet apart, and if the crops are not a.
good in the middle between the rows
it will show that the dynam1tln'
should be in narrow rows.
Dr. William Hamm OF Vienna, wa
the discoverer of the dynamite meth
cd of farming He found that in Eu
rope it is not necessary to treat tn
ground oftener than once in thre
years.
The state agricultural college an
the state agricultural department al
making the experiments on Crawford
farm and the government agriculture
experts are watching the experiment
lust as close as the state.
,