The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-12-31
FARM TOPICS.
Earmers Should Consider Ice - an
Article OF Economy and Not
Luxury.
The Prices for Eggs and Poultry
Better Than for Most Pro-
ducts or the. Farm.
ECONOMY AND ICE.

ECONOMY AND lC8.
The great majority Of farmers regard
ice rs luxury they can not afford to
indulge in. They are too far from
town TO have it delivered to them by
dealers, and they are at no pains to
preserve it for their own use. They
consider it costly luxury which only
wealthy town people can afford to
use. and which farmers can get along
without and still be very comfortable.
They do not appreciate the economic
value of ice or the comfort it insures
during extremely hot weather. They
rarely seek 10 estimate the money
value of ice. City people long since
ceased to consider ice simply as an
article of luxury. They now regard it
as an economical thing to buy and use
in their houses. They find that the
money they spend for ice is saved in
other things. BY means of rcfriger-
ator the ice-box they can preserve
during several days articles of cooked
and uncooked food that would other
wise be wasted. They find that sup
ply of ice saves much fuel and large
amount of labor in cooking. Few
kinds of food or drink are appetizing
that are of the same temperature as the
surrounding air. They must be much
hotter or considerable colder in order
to be grateful to the taste. In the
summer they are mQst enjoyable when
they are several dyes DoBder than
the air in the room where they are
served. During the past few years
iced tea has generally superseded that
which is hot Other drinks rendered
very cool by the use of ice have taken
the place of hot drinks. Ice-cream is
no longer considered as luxury to
many. but is regarded as an economi-
cal dish. 1t costs less to freeze cream
and eggs than it does to cook them. 1t
is more pleasant to work over freez-
ing-apparatus than over q hot stove in
July and August Besides the article
that is prepared by freezing is more
grateful than that prepared by heating.
Berries, peaches, and melons can be
kept in excellent condition several days
ry the use of ice, and they are much
more pleasant to the taste if they are
chilled before they are brought to the
table.
Ice is as economical in a farmhouse
rs in one in the city. 1t is productive
Of rs much comfort in the former as in
the latter. Ice is even more essential
in the country than in the city. In the
latter every grocer. butcher. and milk
dealer keeps liberal supply of ice in
suitable receptacle for the purpose of
keeping the goods he stores and sells
in good condition. They can be moved
from the dealers refrigerator to the
customers house in a very short time
and without injury caused by heat In
the country matters are different
Farmers produce most of the articles
for tho supply Of their tables and OBJ
tain the others in tolerably large guam
titles when they go to the market
town. They use very little fresh meat
during the summer on account of the
difficulty in keeping it in either the
raw or cooked state. They have no
facilities for keeping even a carcass of
sheep or lamb. If they kill sheep in
midsummer they are obliged to pre-
serve portion of it in pickle or dis
pose of it to some of their nciyhbors.
The flesh they consume is therefore
limited u salt meat or poultry. Very
much salt meat is undesirable during
tho summer, as it produces thirst.
Few fowls are III good condition TO eat
in the summer except early chickens,
and they furnish expensive food. By
having - supply OF ice the farmers can
have supply Of fresh meat al very
small cost. The value OF ice in the
Hairy can scarcely be overcstimated.
Very fine butter can not be produced
iuring tine hottest weather without it.
Neither can it be preserved or sent to
market. Milk cooled by ice is one of
the most grateful drinks that can be
used in the season of hayirg and
harvesting. lce-cream is as cheap
food as farmers can obtain during the
heat of summer if they have a supply
of ice with which to prepare it. Milk
and eggs are cheaD. and fresh fruits
furnish the best favoring materials.
Ice is as desirable in the case of sick
animals as with human beings. Farm
ers who have ice-houses on their |
places find that they afford good
many returns on the investment, while
they afford comfort thai can not be
purchased by money.