Latest new way to "dig" post-holes is to blast 'em out with a Fastablast post-hole gun loaded with black powder. "It blasts holes about 3 ft. deep and 12 in. in dia. in a matter of seconds, and can also be used to blast out stumps," says G. A. Stead, operator of Stead's Farm Hardware in Australia, manufacturer and marketer of this unusual product.

Here, from literature describing the post-hole blasting gun, is how it's used and works: The gun is a tremendous labor and time saver in making postholes, for tree planting and for breaking up compacted soil in orchards, excavation jobs and so forth. To operate, simply attach a suitable rope to the loop on the gun, insert the required length of fuse into the fuse hole, hold the gun muzzle upward and pour in blasting powder over which a plug of paper should be pressed. Place the muzzle of the gun on the spot selected for the post hole or excavation, and drive the gun into the ground at least to the level of the fuse (as shown in the illustration). Then, light the fuse and stand well clear.

The post-hole blasted out is usually about 3 ft. deep, about 10 to 12 in. in dia. at the top, and becoming larger and somewhat bulbous at the bottom.

When the gun is correctly placed under the roots of a tree or stump, it loosens the soil, thus making it relatively easy for a bulldozer or tree pulley to remove it without making excavations.