Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-06
FARMING WITH DYNAMITE.
Dupont Powder Company Explains the
Caldwell Method.

Farming with dynamite, says the
Charlotte Observer of Saturday, has
been the development demonstrated
for the past two days on the planta-
tions of Mr.. ]. o. Gardner on the
Lawyers road and DR.. c. L. Alexan-
der on the Salisbury road, the inter-
teresting experiment being made by
Mr.. H. P. Dyson, a representative of
Dupont Powder company, of which
Mr.. Walter M. Annette Is the local
representative. The demonstrations
have caused considerable interest and
proved so attractive to many Of those
who witnessed the experiments that
others will be attempted in the next
few days in other portions Of the
county.
This unique method Of pulverizing
the subsoil was tried about a year
ago by Mr.. ]. H. Caldwell, a farmer
near Spartanburg, S. c., and was
written about in a number Of leading
farm journals and daily papers. The
singularity Of the scheme attracted
perhaps more attention than the be-
lief that 1t was practicable. AS a
matter of fact however, Mr.. Cald-
wells experience received even great
er publicity when 1t developed that
a mammoth corn crop was made on
the land which he had dynamited.
This success started the DUPONT Pow
der company in the direction of man
ufacturing a form Of cartridged dyna-
mite for the specific purpose Of break
ing up ground. The two experiments
here were made with this specifically
made product and the concern man.
ufacturing dynamite Is assured that
there will be a great demand for the
cartridges on the part of the farmers
Of the country
Mr.. Martin Davis, who is one Of the
best known farmers in the county,
witnessed the experiment on Mr..
Gardner's farm Thursday afternoon
and was so pleased with the demon
stration that he will make an attempt
himself in the same direction. on
Mr.. Gardner's farm only enough dy-
Mantle was consumed to prepare a
tract of ground for an orchard, but
the experiment was thoroughly sue
cessful. II was mighty we'll pleased
with it," said Mr.. Davis to an OBJ
server man yesterday. While the
cost Of breaking up ground by this
method is of course greater than Dy
any other process, believe 1t Will
pay to try it. The cost exclusive OF
labor Of breaking an acre or lana
will be about $40. The Dupont Pow
especially for this purpose. which 1t
is able to market in quantities cost
ing about $40 an acre, and the Ia
Dor would, Of course. run up to 50 or
81. The dynamite thoroughly pulver-
ICES the soil, goes down into the
depths and loosens up portion OF
earth which plows never touch"
A number Of farmers went out to
the farm of DR.. c.. L. Alexander at
the old Orr place on the Salisbury
road yesterday afternoon to witness
the exhibition and it was again sue
cessful. Sticks of dynamite were
placed at intervals of several feet
apart and discharged the ground be-
ing broken up into fragments almost
Of dust. The experiment was so pleas
ing that a number have expressed
themselves as being desirous OF using
the same proves on some small por-
ton of their land just to see what
virtues are attached to this method
of getting at the subSoil and having
1t thoroughly pulveriZed.
The dynamite method Of breaking
ground, in so far as it Is successful
in reaching the sub-strata of earth,
is entirely in accord with modern
farming. Not many years ago the ad-
vocate of deep plowing was an an
omaly on the farm, almost everybody
believing that there was no virtue In
touching the subsoil.
AS scientific measures become more
and more practiced on the farms and
as the farmers became better and bet
ter informed through the medium or
trade papers as to modern and the
best methods Of cultivating their
ground. deep plowing is now resorted
10 in all parts of the country In the
fall. This is really the only time OF
year for the deep plow, the good or
it coming from the fact that the deep
soil is allowed to remain exposed all
through the winter and by treeZlng
processes it becomes infused with
agricultural virtues and possibilities.
Dynamiting ground for farming is
not the only experiment which the
Dupont Powder company Is carrying
on. 1t has manufactured cartridges
to assist the farmer in clearing off his
ground, in ridding land Of stumps and
in various of the rougher and more
difficult duties of farm life. THESE
are included in the exhibitions whlch
are being made, and are none the less
successful than the breaking or ground
for planting.
There were some seventy-five farm
ers out at the Alexander farm yester-