The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-04-04

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Explosives can be used TO advantage
In clearing most land Either alone or
in combination with burning methods
or pullers, explosives, If used efficient
ly, will materially reduce the cost Of
Dynamite is means Of rapid clear
ing. and when 1t is used there is 70
capital tied up in idle machinery after
the clearing is Coz tied. IL 1t Is not
possible to reduc e acre cost for
stumping machinery TO reasonable
figure, blasting is the most economical
except perhaps the burning
methods, to use in stumping small
tracts. If in doubt whether to use dyna-
mite alone in stumping it is advisable
to get 20 or 50-pound box and exper-
lment to find how much 1t requires to
blow out some average stumps on the
tract. However, 1t is usually found
more economical to use dynamite than
to depend upon labor for doing the
work.
1t is difficult to clear the earth from
the roots of stumps in clay soil. Where
stumps are shot clear of the ground
there is less adhering earth than
where they are cracked and pulled.
Perhaps In clay soil 1t would be more
to shoot the stumps clear
of the ground.
Cost of Explosives.
IL explosives are bought in small
quantities the cost is rather high. To
reduce the cost 1t Is recommended that
several farmers club together and buy
In large quantities Careful, experil
enced persons can safely do the work
with high explosives, but no one should
attempt to use them until he thorough
ly understands the best and safest
methods of handling. Various brands
Of explosive require different methods
Of handling, and full and detailed in
formation as to the best ways Of using
them is absolutely essential. For this
reason, the reader Is advised to study
with extreme care the instructions Is
sued by the manufacturer Of the brand
Of explosive which he proposes to use.
II dynamite is to be handled in cold
weather, study very carefully the man.
ufacturers' instructions on thawing
dynamite. Many accidents have hap
pened through ignorance or careless
CESS in thawing. The blasting caps
are much more sensitive than the dy-
namite itself, and should be handled
with great care. A cap crimper Is an
inexpensive tool, and its use may pre-
vent serious accidents.
Best Time to Blast.
The best time to blast stumps is
when the ground is saturated with wa
ter. The explosive works most eff
cicntly then because the gases result
inc from the explosion do not escape
through the spaces between the soil
particles.
An explosive containing n low per-
centage Of ,nitroglycerin will do the
same work In wet soil as one contain
Ing higher percentage would do in
the same soil when dry. Dynamite
with 20 per cent Of nitroglycerin or
Its equivalent Is used almost excll jive-
ly on the Pacific coast. 1t could be
used effectively for stumping opera
tons In many other parts of the United
States, especially where the soil is
heavy, wet or where the stumps are
well decayed. Dynamite with 40 per
cent nitroglycerin is largely used In the
South for blasting the longleaf pine,
and the lake states for white pine. In
many cases lower grade of explosive
could be profitably substituted. The
10 per cent grade should be used where
the soil is somewhat light and dry or
where the stumps are green. The W
pcr cent grade Of dynamite has been
used with good success in blasting
stumps In the porous coral soils oi
southern Florida, In blasting stumps at
a dry time In sandy soil, and In blast
| Ing tough, green, hardwood stumps
The higher percentage dynamites are
likely to pack heavy soil II used wher
t is very wet.
Roughly, the. number of pounds ol
dynamite required to shoot a stumr
clear of the ground n the same a.
the square of the number Of feet ir
the diameter Of the stump Mt the Gu
,ff. For example, 2-foot stump will
require four pounds, and one 9 fee
In diameter viii require 80 pounds
Often less will &c the work, but oc
nsionally more is required. All fac
sors, such as kind and soundness O.
| the stumps, md kind and condition O.