Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1931-12-10


the fall Of 1929. Two acres were
cleared up to October. More than a
thousand people visited the Schudy
place to see how stumps were burned
out, including their roots below plow-
ing surface. Two hundred sixty four
stumps were burned for $500 each for
labor by contract.
Charles A. Massie, living on o log
ged-off farm five miles south of Puy-
allup, installed the new method of
stump clearing In the fall Of 1880 and
has continued operations In his spare
time. He regards the method as Just
one of the regular chores, In addition
to raising chickens, milking cows and
doing other operations on his place.
Up to November 1880, Massic had
burned out 400 stumps on his land. A
picture taken October 26, 1881 shows
Mr.. Massie and his son operating the
vacuum outfit on additional portions
of his land. They use an outfit with
sixteen hose and pipe connections, en-
abling them to fire three stumps at
one time. The cost per ten-hour day
Of operation Of the motor is about six
cents. Massie finds. Total cost per acre
for clearing under this method should
not exceed six dollars, Massie says.
The entire vacuum cleaner outfit was
purchased for a little more than
twenty dollars.
Another successful experience is that
of Fred Graetzer, dairy farmer of Roy,
Wash. Six acres were cleared during
the winter 1930-l931, while Graetzer
MIXED COWS and did other chores. He
devoted from about eleven o'clock to
three o'clock to land clearing The
forced draft blower worked the rest
Of the time for him. Stumps and
roots as well were burned out, leav-
ing the land in such shape that little
relevelling was necessary. In June of
this year, Mr. Graetzer was visited by
John Q. Scott, agricultural engineer
AT that time this farmer had cleared
seventeen acres at an estimated cost
of $3.50 per acre, including the cleo
trio current for operation Of the motor
and fuel oil for starting the fire. On
one five acre plot, 200 stumps were
burned. Two roots only were struck
in blowing afterward.
This cheap method of stump burn
ing enabled Jens Berg, who lives on
his forty acre farm, Route 8, Box 149,
Kent, to clear up his place. Berg
cleared two acres last winter, and put
the land into crops the spring of 1881.
He looked after his cows and chickens,
and regarded the clearing as Just an
other chore. He found the only cost
involved was in the original invest
ment for the outfit, approximately
twenty dollars, and using current for
the motor and oil to start the fires.
He expects to have fifteen acres clear
ed before another year.
lii May 1881, r. N. Miller, land
clearing specialist for the State Col
lege Of Washington, gave another sue
cessful demonstration Of the new
method OF the G. H. j. Stoltenberg
farm near Renton. Mr.. Miller main
tains that this new method is the most
important development ever made in
land clearing operations, and pointed
out at that time that the cost is re-
duced from an average of $3.50 to
$3.50 per acre to between six and ten
dollars per acre.
Besides Mr.. Scott, agricultural engi-
neer Of the Puget Sound Power &
Light Company, company officials who
saw Mr.. Miller's demonstration near
Kent, included 8. P. MacFadden, vice.
president, H. j. Gille, manager agri-
cultural-industrial development, and
jeff L. Alexander, manager of the
central division of the power COM
pany.
l IL lntA