Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-02-19
Ice ON the Farm

ant tasks for the farmer in this month
would be the providing of his supply of
Ice tOr use next summer, in the dairy
room and upon the family table. 1t is
true that many farmers manage to get
along without using ice. and consider it
as a.luxury not to be enjoyed by the
man who has to work hard for his
money, but it is noticeable that those
who once become accustomed to its use
are very unwilling to be without 1t aft
erwards.
Probably if they realized the saving
made in being able to bring the cream
and having the butter hard and firm
the advantage OF being able to buy their
fresh meat in larger quantities and
keeping it until needed, and of putting
away the remains of one meal without
having it spoil before the time for an
other, and compared that with the cost
Of the Ice they would use, they would
be more likely to look upon it as
necessity, and less willing to dispense
with it.
There are some farmers who are so
situated that they can usually obtain
their ice from the teams that supply the
villages as cheaply. or even cheaper,
than they could pack their own supply,
especially if they have other work for
themselves and their teams in winter;
but others must provide for themselves
or go without. No elaborate or ex-
pensive structure is needed for keeping
ice. 1t can be kept anywhere if there
Is perfect drainage to take off the water
that drops from 1t, good ventilation to
prevent stagnant air from standing
above it in very hot weather, and it is
well packed with something that is q
non-cOnductor of heat. Sawdust, shaw.
ings, spent tan, salt hay and straw are
valuable in the order named.
A pile Of ten tons Of ice may be
kept in the open air by laying down
rails and covering them a foot deep or
more with some OF these materials, then
packing the ice solidly upon them, and
surrounding it with a rail or board fence,
which would keep in place a packing
one or two feet deep. and covering the
whole with roof or matching Of hay
or straw that would shed the rain.
Such pile would furnish ice enough,
If care were taken in covering it when
family with enough for table use, and
also for dairy use for a herd of ten or
fifteen COWS through the extreme hot
weather.
Of course this is almost the extreme
of making do" with what one has
when he has not the means to have
better, and q permanent structure
would be cheaper in the end; but SO
long as the requisite of exclusion OF air
and drainage are all right, there is but
little else to be looked after. Close
packing, and filling the spaces between
the blocks with snow or pounded ice,
assists very much in keeping it, as it
prevents air from entering into the CEN
tire of the heap, and if 1t becomes nee
essary to pack ice which is not more
than TOUR or five inches thick, it is very
important that this should be looked
after.
More General Use of Horse Radish.
Winter and spring are the seasons
when horse radish is most in demand,
though except in a lew large cities it is
not to be had by those who would be
glad to purchase supply for home use.
Ii Gold at all, it Is at the rate of to ID
cents per pound, while less than half
this price furnishes handsome profit
to market gardeners on the high-priced
lands near New York city. Horse radish
grows best on rather deep, loamy soil.
It's planted by inserting the small roots,
cut in lengths Of four or five inches, in
the bottom of deep holes, and filling up
with rich earth. The shoot, in growing
up to the sur ace, makes long, smooth
root, which can be got out Of the ground
nearly as easily as a carrot. Planted
near the surface, the roots run down
ward in spreading form, and are of but
little value, besides being almost I'M
possible TO eradicate from the land.