The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-06-21

(R. n. Anterior, county agent andToS-
bcoggin-S agadahoc)
Surplus water should be removed to
make the soil more open or porus.
II water Is allowed to stand on the
surface the natural air movement in
the soil is stopped, oxygen shut on
and plants soon die, wet soil Is
always cold soil 50 drainage is q
necessity in order to increase soil
warmth. Wet places on the farm are
often comparatively level and can be
easily worked II the surplus water is
removed. Hence these place are an
economic waste.
There are three chief methods of
draining; open ditch. filling, and we'll
or sink hole. OF these three the
open ditch method is the most ecOnom-
zeal on the average farm. Filling Is
adapted to larger areas, Is expensive
but permanent and requires much Ia
Dor. From an economic standpoint
this is not good year to invest mon
ey In this way
Dynamite can generally be used eff
fectively and economically under con-
ditions where dredging is impractic-
able, where the ground is too wet for
team work and hand labor too costly.
On nearly every farm there are swami
ny places which make drainage as a
rule small job. Lateral bitches
may he necessary to completely drain
an area to which main channel has
already been used or in clearing out
whole bitches and In Strengthening out
crooked channels. For best results
dynamite should be used in places
where there is lot of moisture. 1t
does not work wen In Al dry, fine
sand or dry. heavy clay.
Ditching with dynamite, depends
upon a simultaneous explosion, OF
series of uniform charges, usually of
equal depth and distance apart. One
charge will give hole in the ground.
Al series Of charges will give num-
Der of ragged holes. Dynamite fired
in the ground exerts cone-shaped
pressure and when the charges are
placed near enough together will re-
move everything above them. For
this purpose what Is known as straight
nitfoglycefin dynamite, 80 or, go per-
cent II used. Ammonia or gelatin
dynanitss are not adapted for ditch
Ing 40
bitches may be made In this man.
ner fY0m four TO twenty feet wide and
from two and 'lone-half to ten feet
deem. IT is very quick method OF
ditcfiink, sas the chief time and labor
consists Ii making the holes and
loading.
TherH, are two chief methods fol-
lowed III .tiitching, electric and prop
agAt6d. The second method Is more
commercially used. 1t means sim
ply row of charges, fired by a sing
led primer in the center Of the row.
The charges are placed near enough
so that the force from one fires the
next.sstsA good dftching Grew con-
siskss of a blaster and four helpers.
Tho Arst fob Is to run line of stakes
or ftkrleys so an to make the ditch
as trAight ms possible. The next,
Is 10 clear It by cutting tall grass.
removing standing trees and fences.
1t helps materially II the sod can be
cut on seacf< side dof the proposed
ditch To a depth OF six ~ eight inch
es. The distance between these lines
or cutting should be four to six feet.
Because soil conditions are so irreg-
tilar It Is necessary to fire one or more
test shots In order to determine re-
quired depth and distance apart of
charges. Dynamite should be load
ed down. to within six or twelve In
ches Of a required depth of the ditch.
Put primer in about the center
charge. It Is better to use battery
than fuse.
In the last three years, 3400 yards
have been blasted In Androscoggin
and Sagadahoc at an average cost of
23 cents per yard.