River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-08-21
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD,



Alexander Hyde, one of the most
practical men i'll this country, writes as
follows in the New York Times, in dis
cusslng the cause of ill-health among
farmers:
III anyone is so unfortunate as TO
own house near swamp, and cannot
easily remove, the best guard against
the exhalations of the decaying vcgeta-
ton Is 10 set out plantation of white
pines between the premises and tho
swamp. These will in n short time fur
hlsh a good barricade, and if thick
enough, will absorb all unhealthy ex-
ilalations, and will themselves exhale
an exceedingly healthy balsamic odor.
There are few things of a more anti
septlc nature than pine gum, and III a
fahu Oh White pines we expect to find
lew tcVers and little consumption.
The next surrounding of the farmer
which IS prolific of disease is his cellar.
1t IS apt to be damp, often undrained,
and the repository of much filth and
some docaying vegetables. We have
been III many cellars over which we
would no sooner think of living than
over tomb. The air was damp and
redolcnt of rotten cabbagcs, turnips,
and onions. The cellar windows were
all shut, and there was no egress for the
vile odors except up the stairway into
the living rooms. II the dwellcrs in
house over such cellar should have
the typhoid fever, thew should not at
tribute their sickness to some mysteri-
GUS Providence. The wonder is that
Providence provides so many antidotcs
To disease when men are SO careless,
The cellar should be kept neat and well
ventilated; especially should all vcgc-
tables be removed as soon Us they begin
to sprout and dccompose. 4 coat of
whitewash will do much toward sweet
ening the air of the cellar, but nothing
can accomplish this eflectually without
thorough ventilation. OF course the
windows should all he out, and the
gangway left open. The most ciIectual
ventilation for the cellar, and one which
operates both winter and summer, is 20
make hole in the chimney. The draft
VIII bo up the chimney, whether the
wind blows or not, and ali vile odors
Will be dcodorized as they pass up the
tlues. 1T allowed to escape from the
cellar windows they often find their
way into tho house, and always pollute
the surrounding air.
Another frequent cause of disease in
a farmers surroundings is the cess
pool. Into this are poured the wash
water and the slops of the house gen.
orally, and richer compound for the
land can hardly be desired than that
found in a cess pool during the fer
menting months of july and August, II
makes squashos and cucumbcrs grow
at u great rate, but the very cause
which makas it good for the land rem
ders it's eXhalations unfit for breathing. |
How TO avoid the poisonous gases |
arising from the fermonting contents of |
the cess pool is one Of the pcrplcxing |
questions of country life. We have no |
sewers by which to take of the waste |
of the family TO the sea or river. and |
would not like 10 losea this fcrtilizinp /
material if we had sewer. III the |
house stands on an elevation, this |
waste can bo readily conveyed in cc-
ment pipes to such a distance that the |
exhalations will not return to poison |
the family, especially if some pine
trees bc planted between the house and |
luc bWtiet. III lllS OWllcl u compost /
heap can be formed of great value by |
scooping ont the soil, bowl-shaped. |
cementing the bottom, ii il is of "a /
leachy nature, and filling in occasion.
ally with sods or dry muck.
The privy is another prolific source
of disease around the farmers premi- |
SEES. Here IRE deposited the cxcrement |
of the family, and though no one may
bc sick, and thus con municatc disease |
through this sink hole, still the decay |
aud waste of Che body are represented |
IN the privy vault, aud the tendency of |
all decay Is to propagate decay. II the
water closet is under tho same roof with |
the house, the pernicious gases are
liable to penetratc into every room, nm
less special pains are taken. The privy
vault should be cemented on the side
and made air tight ON top, and then,
with a yentilating.tube running from il
70 the top Of the house-or, better