23 NOVEMBER 1945, Page 9

Growth and Gelignite The use of explosives for breaking up

sub-soil (as practised long since by Dr. Durham) seems to be more common than I had thought. For example: A high dignitary of the Church on the West Coast of Scotland tells me that he has found the use of gelignite cartridges has encouraged conifers and other trees to grow with rate rapidity. The sub-soil so disturbed in the experiment is a firmly compacted gravel, and for a good yard below the surface contains much peaty soil, which thus becomes an available source of humus. I believe that the account of Dr. Durham's experiments is preserved by the Royal Horticultural Society.