The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-11-18
Preparing for Cold Weather.

90 deg. Of Summer to the freezing and
zero points Of Winter necessitates no lit
tie preparation to secure continued health
and comfort. The most important part
of this work is to have the body itself in
right condition. No extra amount of
clothing will secure genial warmth, if tho
heat-producing organs in the system fail
to perform their function. As most read
ers are aware, our garments arc not so
much needed to keep the cold out as to
keep an the heat which arises from slow
combustion Of the food in the system. A
person with vigorous digestion, active cir
culaiion, and clean skin, will feel COM
Portable with an amount Of clothing under
which a dyspeptic or consumptive would
shYer with cold. The outdoor life of
the farmer usually secure the right work
ing of his heat producing apparatus, but
the female portion Of the community need
instruction and care on this point More
outdoor exercise is wanted to give tone
and vigor to the system, and prepare it
for any changes of weather. Some regard
TO the character CT the food, with refer
ence to maintaining animal heat. That
containing large portion of carbon is
best fitted for cold weather, rs fat meat,
buckwheat cakes, ETC., wisely form large
part of the staple provisions in Winter
We repeat hint frequently given in the
american Agriculturist, on keeping the
feet warm. AS they arc constantly in
use, perspiration is more copious than in
some other parts of the body, and hence
the socks soon become damp. In that
state they rapidly conduct heat away, and
cold extremites and the resulting evils Of
"taking cold," and other arrangements,
often follow. Tho preventive is to wipe
the feet dry, and change the socks during
the day. Bathing the feet in cold water
in the morning and rubbing them well
with course towel will aid in making
them less sensitive to the cold. 1t is un-
wise to defer putting on thicker clothing
until late in the Fall. The rapid change
from warm to cooler weather in Autumn,
is often more trying to the health than
the severer of settled Winter.
In arrangements for heating dwellings,
economy of fuel is worth considering, but
not to the disregard Of the health to the
occupants. 1t is possible 10 make a room
nearly air-tight, and thus keep out every
breath of wind that might bring in the
cold," but il would soon become unfit for
occupancy. There is very generally great
disregard to ventilation, especially in Win
ter. 1t is desirable to avoid cold drafts
from crevices in the doors and windows,
but better leave these, than not provide
for the escape of the ventilated air, and
tho ingress of that which is pure. A ven
tiating flue connected with the chimney,
such as was described in the Agricultur-
ist, Vol. Xxx, p. 800, (Oct. lS6i,) is well
adapted for this purpose A large sized
stove is more economical and less prejudi-
cal to health than small one. In the
latter it is necessary to keep the fire brisk,
and the rapid draft carries away through
the pipe a much larger portion Of tho
heat produced, than would escape we're
the fire only moderate. The stove must
also be kept nearly red-hot TO supply suf-
fcient warmth, and this rapidly spoils the
air for breathing. In large stoves, both
these difficulties are obviated; the fuel is
more slowly consumed, and more mod
crate temperature is diffused from the
greater surface.
Before putting up stoves and building
fires for Winter examine all fues and be
careful that no defects will allow the es-
cape of fire to ignite surrounding wood
work, aud also that there be no danger Of
conhagration from SCOT which may have
collected during the previous year.--An'.
AgriculturiSt