FARMING BY DYNAMITE. lOO, 



Now we have no South African experience to go on yet, and 

 it will be many years before we have, but our American friends, 

 from whom I am in the main quoting, speak of the beneficial 

 effect of breaking up the hardpan with the greatest assurance. 

 They have applied it to practically all kinds of agricultural and 

 horticultural products, such as maize, cotton, fruit and tobacco, 

 and although the initial operations may be, and no doubt are, 

 expensive, they are positive that the results repay the expenditure 

 many fold. I could quote numberless cases which bear this out, 

 but the actual proof is found in the fact that dynamite for this 

 particular branch of work forms a very large proportion of the 

 output of many American explosive factories. The truth is that 

 dynamite would not be used in such large quantities unless it 

 gave a good return ; our American cousins are cute enough for 

 that. Perhaps one of the most interesting developments in con- 

 nection with its use is the " toning-up " of ground on which fruit 

 trees or cotton plants have been growing. It happens sometimes 

 that year by year the yield of fruit or cotton has fallen off, and 

 the plants seem limp and lifeless. Something very similar to 

 hardpan is generally found to be the cause. Charges of dynamite 

 placed at judicious intervals between the rows have loosened the 

 soil below, and given the plants a new lease of life. If care is 

 taken in placing the holes, the roots need not be damaged at all ; 

 indeed, if the charge is placed properly, all that happens when 

 the explosion takes place is that a dull thud is heard, and the 

 soil is seen to rise a few inches, only to subside immediately 

 If one opens it up. however, the effect about three to four feet 

 down is very considerable. The soil all round is loosened and 

 fissured, but the effect really extends much further than mere 

 digging indicates. As I have already said, results prove this. 



Our American friends use the term of " ploughing by dyna- 

 mite " very frequently, but this is really a misnomer, because in 

 every case ploughing and harrowing have to follow on the break- 

 ing up. Supposing it is desired to break up either old land with 

 hardpan, or virgin veld, holes are made in the ground about 

 2 feet 6 inches to 3 feet 6 inches deep, and at about 12 feet 

 apart. When the charge explodes very little disturbance of the 

 surface takes place, but, as in the "toning-up " process, which I 

 have described, the effect below is very great indeed. No person 

 can yet dogmatise as to the depth of holes or their distance from 

 one another, nor yet as to the charge of dynamite which should 

 be used. Experience is the sole guide, and every case must be 

 considered on its merits. For a light loamy soil, however, any- 

 thing from 50 to 100 lbs. of explosive per acre will be required. 

 For the hard shales of the Cape lucerne lands much more would 

 he necessary, but I am only speaking of them from hearsay. In 

 any case lucerne land, which is worth, as I learn it is, from £200 

 to £400 per acre, could easily stand from £5 to £10 on dynamite 

 if it can be proved, as I believe it can, that a commensurate 

 increase in cropping will result. With regard to staple crops, 



