1875.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
17 
erful explosive has been found to act in a 
most satisfactory manner, having greater effect, 
and exerting its force in a more favorable 
manner than gunpowder, and does not require 
any tamping. The rending force is so great, 
that the largest stumps are torn into fragments 
of convenient size for removal, or are lifted 
( bodily out of their bed. One method of apply¬ 
ing. 1.—BLASTING WITH A SCBEW-PLUG. 
ing the explosive is shown in fig. 1 of the an¬ 
nexed illustrations, which we find in the Lon¬ 
don Agricultural Gazette. A hole is bored with 
a common auger into the center of a stump, 
and a charge of giant powder, in a cartridge 
already prepared to fit the hole, is inserted. An 
iron tapering screw, made to fit a winch, is 
then tightly screwed into the hole. The screw 
has a hole through its center, by which a fuse 
is carried to the charge. The charge is explod- 
Fig. 2,— BLASTING WITHOUT BOEING. 
ed in the usual manner, and the stump is blown 
to pieces, or lifted out of its place. It may be 
well to caution those who undertake this work 
to exercise the greatest care, and to keep a good 
lookout for the screw, as it will sometimes be 
blown to a considerable distance if too large a 
charge is used. Greater useful effect is gained 
by moderate charges. Excessive charges do 
very poor execution, either blowing out the 
screw or a portion of the stump, and leaving 
the larger portion shattered, but still in a con¬ 
dition which makes their removal very difficult. 
Another method is shown at fig. 2. A hole is 
punched in the earth beneath the center of the 
stump, and between two of the largest roots. 
A cartridge of giant powder is placed at the 
bottom of the hole, with a fuse attached to it. 
It is stated that the powder, when it explodes, 
throws the stump completely from the ground 
in every case, and frequently splits it into sev¬ 
eral portions. With common blasting powder 
this can. not be done. Its explosion is not suf¬ 
ficiently rapid, and the earth is simply removed 
from the stump. But with the many times 
more rapid and forcible explosion of the giant 
powder, the loose earth offers sufficient resist¬ 
ance, and the force of the explosion is exerted 
directly upwards, with the best effect upon the 
stump or rock. It matters not whether the ob¬ 
ject to be removed be a stump or a rock, the 
effect is the same. 
The force of these nitro-glycerine prepara¬ 
tions may be very economically used in break¬ 
ing large rocks 
which need re¬ 
moval. Upon a re¬ 
cent occasion we 
saw a stone of about 
16 tons weight, be¬ 
ing nearly a cube 
of 6 feet diameter, 
shattered into frag¬ 
ments by a charge 
of one pound of 
giant powder simp¬ 
ly placed upon the 
upper surface of the 
stone, and covered 
with a shovelful of 
earth. The stone 
was of very hard 
tough trap - rock, 
and would have re¬ 
quired a day’s work 
of two or three men 
to break it up with 
common powder. 
The powder is 
made and sold in 
prepared cartridges 
by the GiantPowder 
Co., of 61 Park Place, N. Y., who have prepared 
a circular giving full directions as to its use. 
kept always wet, and a very effective water 
bandage is provided. The water-bag may be 
placed at either side of the horse, or upon its 
back, by fastening it to the girth or surcingle. 
The flow may be regulated by means of a metal 
tap, or what is safer, by a cord tied around and 
Fig. 1.— WATEK-DKESSING APPLIED. 
compressing the tube in such a manner that the 
flow will be so gradual that the bandage will 
be kept merely wet, but not enough so to drip 
A Cold-Water Dressing for Spavin. 
The application of cold water dressings with 
pressure by tight bandages, being often recom¬ 
mended for the treatment of these inflamma¬ 
tory affections of the hock-joint and legs of 
horses known as bog or blood-spavin and thor¬ 
ough-pin, it is very desirable to have an easy 
method of applying the water. This is usually 
done by means of wet bandages frequently 
changed and repeated, but this method is very 
inconvenient, troublesome, and ineffective. A 
much better plan has been brought into use by 
which a constant stream of cold water may be 
directed to the part. This consists of a metal¬ 
lic reservoir of water attached to the girth from 
which an india-rubber tube conveys the water 
to a perforated collar strapped around the joint. 
A modification of this 
plan is illustrated in 
the engravings, which 
has some improve¬ 
ments that render it 
of easier and more 
general application. 
The metallic reservoir 
is replaced by an 
india - rubber water- 
bag, or in many cases 
a bladder may be sub¬ 
stituted with equal, 
effect. An india-rub¬ 
ber tube is connected 
with the water-bag- 
and made to pass to 
the joint. The end of 
the tube is pierced with small holes, through 
which the water may slowly trickle. A cloth- 
bag is sown to this end of the tube, and straps 
or tapes attached, by which it is tied around 
the joint and retained there. The cloth is thus 
Fig. 2. —water bandage. 
parts, a small tin tube will serve as a coupling, 
the end of each piece of the india-rubber being 
drawn over an end of the tin tube. Fig. 1 shows 
the whole arrangement, and fig. 12 the portion 
of it which embraces the joint. 
How to Hang a Grindstone. 
It is difficult to keep a grindstone exactly 
round when hung and used in the ordinary 
manner. As the foot bears down upon the 
treadle, an extra pressure is also involun¬ 
tarily made upon the tool, and the wear upon 
the stone is* increased just at that moment. As 
the stone revolves, this pressure and wear oc¬ 
curs always at the same spot, and in a short 
time a hollow is worn there, and by and by 
it is useless, until it is turned into proper shape 
again. Now, this defect is easily avoided by 
the use of two gear-wheels of slightly different 
