Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-12-21
-rARN and HOSEHOLD.
ICE ON THE FARM.

by the rich who live IN cities, an"
regard an ice-house 40 a needless
extravigance. Ice in summer is a
luxury, but it is also a substance
that promotes health and comfort
and which has many economic
uses. Unless a farmer has a spring
over which he can build a milk
house he will find it difficult to
make first class butter if he has no
ice. He will also experience much
trouble 10 keeping the butter IN a
condition to be sent to market
With ice milk and butter can be
kept in good condition with but
little trouble. Cool milk is a most
desirable drink during the sum
mer, and one that should be used
to a greater extent than it is. An
ice.house or an ice.bOx is the best
place for keeping eggs, vegetables,
and small fruits. Fresh meat
poultry, fish, and game can also he
kept in one for many days. \
supply of ice promotes economy
more than it does luxury. Il en-
ables one to save many things that
would otherwise be wasted. Ice
saves fuel during the summer 0y
diminishing the amount Of cooking
that is done daily if not three
times each day. All kinds of COOK
ed provisions as well as those that
are not cooked can be kept a long
time in an ice-bOx. Daring the
summer we desire food and drink
that are much warmer or much
cooler than the temperature OF the
air, and it matters but little in
which one of these conditions they
are in. At a hotel table in a city
about half the persons will call for
ice-tea tor supper, while the other
half will take that which is nearly
boiling. To be grateful to the
taste its temperature must be much
above or below that of the body
and the surrounding air. During
the SUMNER ',u~ majority OF per
sous prefer frozen cream to hot
buildings, and with a supply OF ice
it is cheaper. There is no good
reason why farmers should not
have ice.cream on their tables
during the summer. They have
milk and eggs in abundance, and
the salt that IS used for iOamlng a
freezing mixture can be utilized on
farm.
Every farmer who has a creek,
lake, or fish.pond on his place can
obtain a supply of ice from 1t at
the cost of cutting. If, however,
ice is put up for commercial pur-
poses within one days drive from
his farm be may find it more eco.
nomical to buy it, as it costs very
little. An ice-hOuse need not be
an expensive structure, and If it is
only intended to preserve ice
enough to supply one family there
is no occasion for having it of large
size. Blocks of ice that form a
cake OF ten feet will supply a fam
ily for FIVE months. a building to
hold ice should be so constructed
as to leave a space of from eighteen
10 twenty-fcur inches on each side
of the ice TO DE filed with sawdust,
grain chat, or straw chopped very
fine. 4 double wall is not neces
sary. Experience has shown that
it is best TO have the sawdust OF
other material come directly
against the cake of ice. As one
piece of ice Is taken out the ma
teral employed for preserving II
tails and occupies its place. n
This j. -+he drainage, and
tight roof, good a. that can
small doors in the gable go ~,
be opened and shut at pleasGss.9 e
necessary.
There is economy in large ice
houses. They are cheaper to build
and to fill. There must be the
same thickness of sawdust or other
material around a small cake OF ice
as around a large one. 1t costs but
little more to construct a building
that will contain ice enough tC
supply ten families than one thaI
will supply ice to but one family
Some creamery aud cheese-factory
companies have arranged to sup
DIV milk at a low price to all thel
patrons. A block of ice two fee
SQUARE will ordinarily supply
family for three or four days. II
some places a dozen or more farm
ers have united in building ant
filling an ice.house. 1t is locate'
at some central spot, and tn
farmer living nearest 10 1t has th
care of il. The general plan IS q
have it opened one hour in To
morning on alternate days. TIN
gives every farmer an opportunlt
TO get ice and prevents waste
Where this plan has been pursue'
it is always found that considerable
ice can be sold to persons who ar
not connected with the enterprise
Prominent dairymen claim tina
by allowing the COW salt freely
produces a flow of milk. This
explained By the fact that sal
promotes thirst and causes the COZ