The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-08-31
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COLD STORAGE.
An Apple Growers Satisfactory Plan
For "a small Farm Plant.

An Apple Growers satisfactory Plan
For "a Small Farm Plant.
Every year more is heard of the i'm
portance Of cold storage for the farm
er and fruit grower. Its praeticability
has been clearly demonstrated in the
past few years Il is perfectly feast
BILE for the man WHO expects a large
crop Of apples this fall 10 hold them
at home in his own hands. Without
dilating upon the advantage of not be-
Ing obliged to market fruit whether
one will or not, as this is the season
f~ considering the matter of fruit
storage. the plan of Mr.. +. Z. Nergnon
originally presented before the Ohio
Horticultural society, for building a
small cold storage plant for the keep
ing of fruit is here given. Mr. Nerg-
non says
| patterned after the retail butchers
refrigerator, but built it "A feet square,
with a sorting and packing room +
feet broad on the north side. shed fash
ion. The main building has n cellar
under it three feet deep and four open
ings in the wall on the east and west
sides one foot wide by four long. equal
distance apart, covered with heavy
wire screen. Batten doors on the side
of the building can be closed at will.
The cellar is used only for yentila=
ton and heat for fruit chamber when
necessary. The balloon frame is put
up with oak joist 16 feet long. by u,
21a feet apart, and stills, double, patent
sliding and thoroughly packed with
sawdust inside as 1t is lined up; pack
ing room same way; floor double and
filed same as sides; the floor above Is
not double and is placed 3D. feet be.
low the top of the square. This makes
room for the ice chamber above. which
is IL feet square, feet high, made
with by sCantlng. lined and packed
with sawdust. The floor in the ice
chamber slopes a little to the north
for the drip and is covered with best
galvanized iron.
An opening six inches wide in the
floor around the ice chamber lets the
ductOrs made of galvanized iron, two
on each side, east and west, broad end
down, extend just through the floor
into the fruit chamber. to convey the
air from tie ceiling below to center OF
ice chamber above The warm air
rises aud the cold air dcscends. There
is a difference of ~ degrees in temper.
ature between the floor of the fruit
chamber ana the ceiling above. There
is a space of about three and a half
feet around the ice chamber which ad.
mits Of "A lulic stairway inside Of fruit
chamber Oh north side small trapdoor
at top of stairs. 10 reach the work
above. This floor Is covered with six
or eight inches OF saWdust
All the doors are made double and
packed. The only door by which to
enter the fruit chamber opens into
packing room. One small door above,
in each gable end, just above the
square. The ice is taken in through the
south one of these \ rope is attached
to these doors, opened and closed from
the ground. for ventilation. a small
wooden trough catches the drip from
the Ice chamber, which runs into con
ductor and empties into any small yes
sci in the cellar, forming "A trap. Roof.
one-third inch pine, with neat little
ventlator on the middle of the comb
and a little projection at the roof on
the south gable end to which to attach
the pulley to elevate the ice.
The entire structure should be strong
ly built and as nearly alright as posi-
BILE The beams below and overhead
should be not less than 10 by II inches.
best oak, with posts in center. The
cost of the plant was about $500 and
has proved quite satisfactory. DO not
know that | could better it now for my
purpose except to have air chambers
In place of the sawdust.
The cost of operating it is principally
the ice. We put III about 20 tons few
days before the apple harvest COM
mences. This amount runs us until the
ice forms on the water. Then it is fill
ed again; capacity 40 tons.