The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-12-14
FARMING WITH DYNAMITE.
DUPONT Powder Company Explains
the Caldwell Method.

been the development demonstrated
for the past two days on the planta-
tiOns Of Mr.. j. O. Gardner on the
Lawyers road and DR.. G. l.. Alexan-
der on the Salisbury road, the inter-
eresting 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 ani
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.. ]. II. 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 tracted
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 it developed that
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 form of cartridge 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 great demand for the
cartridge 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
/ IL.
Mr.. Gardners farm only enough dy-
Mantle was consumed to prepare a.
tract Of ground for an orchard, but
the experiment was thoroughly sue
cessful. Il 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 by
any other process, i believe it will
pay to try it. The cost exclusive of
labor Of breaking an acre of land
will be about $40. The Dupont Pow
| der company has put out product
| especially for this purpose, which it
Is able to market in quantities cost
ing about $40 an acre, and the la
Dor would, Of course, run up to SO or
"a. The dynamite thoroughly pulver-
ICES the soil, goes down into the
depths and loosens up a 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 aagn 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 process on some sma'i por-
ton OF their land just to see what
virtues are attached to this meth ID
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 tn, 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 Of
trade papers as to modern and the
best method Of cultivating their
ground. deep ploWing is now resorted
to In all parts Of the country in the
fall. This is really the only time Of
year for the deep plow, the good Of
1t coming from the fact that the deep
, soil is allowed to remain exposed all
through the winter and by freezing
processes 1t becomes infused With
, agricultural virtues and possibilities
Dynamiting ground for farming is
/ not the