The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-11-15
Preparing for the Ice Crop.

At this time of the year many of our
farmers turn their attention to making
preparations for gathering their annual
crop of ice. The plans for building ice-
houses differ widely in the various seq
tons of the country, and in many IL
stances are controlled by the wants and
financial ability of the builder. The
double walled, with the space filed with
sand or sawdust; the solid thick wall of
brick or masonry; the two walls, each
only Il single brick thick, with an inter
Yening air space; those on the surface,
those half below, and those completely
buried with the exception of the roof
all these and many more find strong adj
vocates. In most of the eases the
houses are erected by one who follows
his own free will, aiming to suit his own
convenience, taste and ideas of archi-
lecture.
But it would be well to pay more at
tention to the pond OF lake from which
the ice is to De taken than is generally
done The fact that water will not, by
freezing, free itself from impurities
which endanger health is being widely
recognized, and a close examination of
the pond itself and of the land that
drains into it will certainly result in
much benefit and may prevent disease.
If the ice is to be taken from still water,
the decaying vegetable matter at the
bottom should be removed. especially
from under the part to be cut; and if the
water has a current it should be re
moved for considerable distance
above, so that the gases win not be car
ried down to the place of cutting. The
gases resulting from decomposition
partly escape, but much remains, and
is liable to rise at any time; besides, the
chemical action is not wholly stopped
by th6seold, but continues to a certa
extent all winter. The ascending bub-
bles are caught and imprisoned in the
ice, their foulness remaining with them
until set free in the pitcher of water
during the following summer. Wen
authenticated cases of sickness have
been caused by ice water, the ice bav-
ing been taken from ponds where in
coming water flowed over beds of de
caying sawdust.
That the drainage from barn-yards is
likely to prove harmful is self-dpparent,
and it is hardly necessary to state that
it should be kept out of the ice-pond,
vet there are many barns located di-
rectly on the bank, near the very edge.
Because in times past the gauntlet has
been successfully run is a poor excuse
for still inviting the danger. The wash
ing from a pig-sty is undoubtedly the
worst of the kind, and it should never
be so situated that any part of its filth
can by any possible path find its way
into a body of water used for drinking
purposes during either the summer or
winter. The habit of placing vaults
on the banks of small stream can not
be too strongly condemned; and al
though they may be below the spot
from which water or ice is taken, and
50 save the owner, they menace his
neighbor, who may be many miles down
stream. If quite near the pond the
land upon which they are built should
be examined, lest the contents find en-
trance through the soil The germs of
disease are liable to be transmitted from
them.
It's always a safe rule to discard ice
from water that cattle refuse to drink.
But this test is by no means sufficient,
as the clearest and most sparkling water
may have an enemy to health lurking
within it. What is better is a critical ex-
animation of all possible sources of con-
tamination and the effectual barring out
of those likely to prove Objectionable.
This search should not only cover the
immediate vicinity of the pond, but
should extend for some distance up
each stream emptying into it--Se6en-
tjdc ADlcrica1l.