Unprejudiced Advice 

 Blasting California Hardpan for Trees 



SACRAMENTO, CAL., Jan. 21. 



Editor Western Empire: I have been reading several articles on plowing with dynamite, 

 also the breaking up of hardpan by the same means, and would like your advice on the subject. 

 I have ten acres underlaid with hardpan at a depth ranging from eighteen inches to four feet, 

 which is from one to nine inches in thickness. I am desirous of planting fruit trees and would 

 like to break up the hardpan for each tree, but find that the cost of using powder, and labor 

 involved, is a little beyond my means. I have seen practical tests made and examined the 

 ground after blasting, and find it would take considerable dynamite to break the hardpan in 

 its thickest part, also it is impossible to tell whether the hardpan is broke thoroughly or not 

 when covered with two or three feet of soil. I wish to know if I get as good results by boring 

 holes with an ordinary hand-power well-drilling rig. By boring a six to twelve-inch hole, five 

 or six feet deep, it seems to me it would give as good results, and be more certain of breaking 

 through the hardpan than dynamite. I have helped to drill several wells, and know it would 

 only take two men a short time to go a few feet deep. If you will please advise me in the matter 

 by letter, or in an early issue of the Western Empire, I shall be very much obliged to you. 



' Yours truly, 



X. N. 

 (The editor replied as follows:) 



The writer has done a very considerable amount of blasting for trees and vines, and from 

 results fully recognizes the value of a judicious use of dvnamite for breaking hardpan. 



We would not plant any hardpan land to trees without blasting every tree hole. The 

 expense of this is not to be considered in comparison with the benefits that will come from 

 good tree growths and profitable bearing orchards, as a result of breaking the hardpan, to 

 give the trees deep root systems. 



We think your proposition to drill well holes through the hardpan is hardly feasible. In 

 practice, it will cost to drill the holes, then fill them with earth, then dig the tree holes, 

 as much, or nearly so, as the cost of blasting. And after such well holes are drilled, the main 

 object of having the largest area of ground prepared properly for the planting is not 

 accomplished. Even if this drilling could be done at much less cost, we would not resort 

 to it, tor results in the life of the orchard would be a perpetual tax on the mistaken economy. 



This is what we do: 



First lay out the orchard, having whitewashed pegs where the trees are to stand. Then, 

 instead of using the ordinarv tree planting boards, make one at least ten feet long, out of a 

 one by four, boring inch holes in the ends and midway between them making a notch. 



In using this implement, place this notch over the tree peg, and set two pegs through the 

 end holes and withdraw the tree peg. After the holes are dug the board is placed over the 

 end pegs, and the notches in the board indicate the exact position where the tree should be placed. 



Now dig an ample tree hole to the hardpan, and drill into it according to its thickness. 

 From your description of the hardpan this will be an easy matter. 



Much judgment is to be exercised in determining the kind of powder to use and the amount. 

 The object to be obtained is a thorough breaking and cracking of the hardpan, and the wider 

 the area of this action the more effective. Hence a slower action of the charge is often better 

 than a more violent explosion. Good judgment and some experience will soon enable one to 

 determine the depth of the drill holes, and the amounts of the powder to use. 



Dynamite is made of different strengths and longer or shorter sticks can be used. Where 

 the hardpan is a thin layer, and more or less seamed, it may be better to dig a small hole to the 

 hardnan for the drilling rather than the larger hole as suggested. 



Where hardpan is five or six feet deep, or where the subsoil is of a close, tenacious nature, 

 it is a wise practice to make a deep hole with a bar or small earth auger at the point where the 

 tree peg was removed, and explode a charge heavy enough to thoroughly shatter the subsoil. 



California Hardpan Conquered 



DIXUBA, CAL., October 7, 1911. 



The trees planted last spring, for which the land had been dynamited, are 

 doing exceptionally well, in fact, much better than I expected. The demonstra- 

 tion you gave convinced me that the value of Du Pont explosives cannot be 

 overestimated. My land had a heavy stratum of hardpan at an average depth 

 of one and one-half feet, and under this hardpan was a very good subirrigated 

 subsoil. After blasting the holes and planting the trees this spring they have 

 not had one drop of water, either through irrigation or rainfall, and now they 

 are in very fine condition. Z. M. DICKEY, Manager. 



Lemon Grove Improved 



CORONA, CAL., October 14, 1911. 



I am working upon the strip of orchard which was shot last fall and 

 I find a marked improvement in the appearance of the lemon trees. 



It is my intention to continue this work of blasting until I have treated all 

 portions of our orchard where the conditions of the trees indicate the existence 

 of a hard formation under them. W. C. McCULLY, Mgr. El Cerrito Rancho. 



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