PRACTICAL ADVICE FROM A SUCCESSFUL BLASTER 



Mr. Thomas H. Benton, of Tennessee, explains below his methods of secur- 

 ing blasting contracts: 



"My attention was first called to the agricultural uses of dynamite by a friend and neigh- 

 bor, named C. R. Johnson, who employed me to subsoil two acres of land. I had no one to instruct 

 me, obtaining all my knowledge and instructions from the Du Pont Company's Farmer's 

 Handbook, which I studied closely. I was very successful in the subsoiling and other little jobs. 



"The next thing I did was to co-operate with our jobber, Levi, Joy & Co. Right at this 

 point is where I must give much credit for my success. Knowing the interest the jobber was 

 taking in me and even sharing part of the expense on some local ads which I got up, I at 

 once got busy and had some individual printing done. I bought a horse and spring wagon, 

 tools for blasting, etc., a small stock of dynamite and went out among the farmers. My 

 wagon is painted red and lettered nicely, (Du Pont) Red Cross Extra Dynamite, Agricultural 

 Demonstrator and Salesman. And say! the farmers take their hats off to me. Work! Why 

 I can hardly keep up with the contracts. I have several large contracts on hand for later 

 dates, among which is a job of ditching in the Mississippi Delta. Where the other man buys 

 the dynamite and supplies, I work for $5.00 per day and all expenses. I will say that the 

 best way to be able to figure on a certain work is to let the other fellow buy the material and 

 work by the day for others until experience helps a blaster *on estimating prices, etc. I can 

 figure almost to the stick required on most work. 



"I won't explain in detail everyone I have worked for, but I have just completed a three 

 days' stump-blasting job, 20 miles north of this city, for a man named Cummins. He is 

 making a model farm of his property and I figured on 200 old stumps, only ten bad ones in 

 the lot. I furnished the dynamite and did the work for $64.60, used 250 Ibs. 40 per cent., 400 

 feet fuse, 2 boxes caps. He was so well pleased with my work that he gave me $5.00 extra 

 money, a $15.00 white Orpington cock, a setting of fine eggs and a side of meat. As I have 

 a family, of course I appreciated all these things. Each day I was there several people came 

 to see me work and I actually believe I could keep busy all spring in that neighborhood. 

 Have closed several small contracts to hold me for awhile, 



"I am glad to say that Agricultural Blasting puts a man in touch with the very best 

 people in the country." 



The above should prove encouraging to every Agricultural Blaster. Mr. 

 Benton has been successful not because he was an experienced solicitor, nor 

 because he was an experienced blaster at the time of taking up this proposition. 

 In fact, he was a plain everyday farmer who had never done any soliciting for 

 contracts of any kind and whose only knowledge of the use of dynamite to begin 

 with was obtained from our Farmer's Handbook of Explosives. His success, 

 therefore, has been due altogether to his own energetic and intelligent efforts. 

 The first good move he made was to form a business connection with our dealer 

 in his locality. That is something every blaster ought to do. This dealer has 

 been of assistance to Mr. Benton in securing work. For the main part, how- 

 ever, his success has been due to energetic hustling. 



For further information on this subject, tear out, fill in and mail the card 

 below. 



PDRt 



MGR. AGRICULTURAL DIVISION, 



WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. 



