The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1919-07-24

81 .Tz<&<- q :. ~ q 3; q
'tPrepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture)
Explosives can be used 10 advantage
1n clearing most land Either alone or
In combination with burning methods
or pullers. explosives, II used efficient
ly. will materially reduce the cost OF
stumping.
Dynamite Is n means OF rapid clear
ing. and when II is used there Is no
capital tied up In idle machinery after
the clearing is completed. II IL IS not
possible TO reduce the acre cost for
stamping machinery TO a reasonable
figure. blasting Is the most economical
method. except perhaps the burning
methods. TO use In stumping small
tracts. II In doubt whether 10 use dyna-
mite alone in stumping IL IS advisable
TO get IS or 50-pound box and exper-
iment TO find how much II requires TO
blow out some average stumps on the
tract. However. n Is usually found
more economical TO use dynamite than
20 depend upon labor for doing the
work
IL Is difficult 10 clear the earth from
Ithe roots OF stumps In clay soil. Where
lstumps are shot clear OF the ground
there II. less adhering earth than
where they are cracked and pulled
Perhaps In clay soil II would be more
economical to shoot the stumps clear
of the ground
Cost Of Explosives.
II explosives are bought In small
n an. A. Gn~H r..
feocG ne eost 10 Is recommended that
several fsfIrers club together and buy
An large quantities. Careful. experis
enced persons can csfely do the work
with high explosives. but 10 one should
attempt to use them until he thorough
ny understands the best and safest
methods OF handling. Various brands
of explosive require different methods
OF handling. and fun and detailed In
FORMATION as TO the best ways OF using
them IN absolutely essential. For this
reason. the reader IL advised TO study
with extreme care the instructions Is
sued by the manufacturer OF the brand
of explosive which he proposes 10 use.
m 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
ness I'm thawing. The blasting caps
are much more sensitive than tie dy-
Mantle itself. and should be handled
with great care. A cap crimper Is an
inexpensive tJOl. and its use may pre-
went serious accidents.
Best Time 20 Blast.
The best time 10 blast stumps Is
when the ground Is saturated with wa
ter. The explosive works most eff
ciently then because the gases result
ing from the explosion do not escape
Through the spaces between the soil
particles
An explosive containing low per-
eentage OF nitroglycerin win do the
same work In wet soil as one contain
9ng n higher percentage would do In
che same soil when dry. Dynamite
with 20 per cent Of nitrOgiycerin or
its equivalent Is used almost exclusive
" on the Pacific coast IL could De
used effectively for stamping opera
tions Ia 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
80 per cent grade should be used where
the soil T. somewhat light and dry oil
where the stumps are green The "
per cent grade of dynamite has beer
used with good success In blasting
-tumps In the porous coral soils OF
southern Florida. i'm blasting stumps a
N dry time i'm sandy soil. and In blast
ing tough. green. hardwood stumps
The higher percentage dynamites arr
likely 10 pack heavy soil IL used whei
A. l. very wet.
Roughly. the number or pounds o
dynamite required 70 shoot n stunt
rIear of the ground Il TIE same a
che square of the number N feet II
the diameter OF the stump at the Gu
ar. For example. 2-soss stump vi;
require four pounds. and a,e y Zee
an diameter wiz require &c pounds
often lass will do the work hrt &C
easionllIy more ~ ~ ...-esf- All fac
tors. srch as kind ana soundness
the stumps. and ktnd and condition Q
tte soil. influence the amount OF expo
sive r-arired for a stump Of given size
a.. IIrAv+fflrr AT m r.