The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-03-01
Care of Dairy Utensils.

The direct use OF steam for SteriliZ-
ing is very common. In many facto-
ries and dairy houses there is, adjoin-
ing the wash sink, table in the CEN
ter of which is steam jet, and when
cans are washed they are inverted over
this jet and steamed for few min
utes. This method of steaming an
sWers the purpose fairly well in GER
tain cases, as when a large number of
cans are washed and special room
is provided for the purpose, or the
steam jet is under a hood which con-
ducts the escaped steam to pipe lead
ing out of the building. Special care
should be taken to make the exposure
long enough, but one using this system
is liable to make the time too short.
Another objection to it is that the
steam does not come in direct contact
with the outside as well as the inside
of the cans. More perfect work Is
accomplished by a steam chest, IN
which the smaller utensils, such as
cans, pals, dippers, glass jars, etc., may
be placed and entirely surrounded with
steam as long as desired. galvan-
lied iron chest from to 5 feet each
in dimension is large enough to hold
the utensils, except watts and machln-
cry ordinarily used in a creamery or
cheese factory. When many cans are
to be cleaned, the chest should be large
enough to hold dozen or more at a
time. All joints must be made as close
as possible. The doors should be large,
SO that utensils may be easily put into
and removed from the chest. AT the
top of the steamer there should be an
escape pipe 2 or 3 inches in diameter
and passing out of doors. The How OF
steam through this may be controlled
by valve, and each time the steam IS
turned off a few moments should be
given to allow most of it to escape from
the chest through this long pipe before
the door is opened. If this is not done,
the operator may be severely scalded
by opening the door while the steam is
still under pressure. Steam should De
admitted at the bottom, and the bottom
should have enough incline to cause all
water formed by condensation to run
off through trapped pipe leading TO
drain. About six inches above the DOT
tom a movable false bottom OF strong
wire netting or iron framework may be
placed, on which the articles are put IN
an inverted position.
If more room be required and the ar
ticles are small shelves similar to the
movable bottom may be used. Several
different materials are employed for
constructing steam chests. Wood gives
good satisfaction when the chest is Of
ten used. It should be firmly bound to
prevent bad results from warping. Gal
vanized iron is a common material, and
copper is sometimes used. If a metal
be used. the door should be double to
make it rigid. A convenient method OF
steaming utensils on large scale is
to have. instead of a tank a steam
closet. the floor Of which is on Level
with the main floor of the building. A
light truck with skeleton bottom ana
side may be loaded with articles from
the wash tanks and quickly rolled into
the closet, steamed and the utensils
taken to their proper places with very
little handling. Such a saving OF work
amounts to great deal in large FAC
tory. Steaming is often omitted for
the want of a suitable chest or closet.
If no better method is available, an or
binary wooden box with tight-fitting
cover may be easily and cheaply ar
ranged.
Every dairy utensil should be fire.
uuently sterilized, and nothing is better
for this purpose than superheated
steam direct from the boiler. Not an
inconsiderahle amount OF steam is
needed for this purpose and for heat
ing water, and, when necessary, the
building, and these facts should be
borne in mind when q boiler is pur-
chased, care being taken to have its ca
pacity greater than required by the
engine, so that steam can be had at
any time for these other purposes. But,
if desired, small boilers may be obtain
ed for furnishing steam for heating wa
ter and sterilizing only, their cost be-
ing S25 or upward, according to size.
Such a boiler is especially recommend
ed for any factory or large dairy not
already equipped with them.
Fancy Poultry establishments:
What is suitable for one place and