The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-02-08
ICE A FARM NECESSITY.
Profit for the Dairyman and Comfort for
the Household.

'FRONT.' Tor the Dairyfnan and Comfort Tor
the Household.
The icehouse is fast being recognized
as one OF the indispensable features in
modern farming writes Charles d. Nor
ris in the New York Tribune Farmer.
The cost OF construction is not a Sc
rious factor in the reckoning as equip
ment for keeping ice satisfactorily
ranges from the very inexpensive to that
costing hundreds of dollars. The writ
er has seen an icetpuse constructed by
setting chestnut posts is feet in length
two feet in the ground and four apart,
forming a skeleton binding Ia feet
square, planked up on the inside Of the
posts. To prevent the sides from spread
ing apart the posts were tied with cross
wires at the top, and there was no roof
ON the structure. When filling the ice
was well packed, leaving 10 inches Of
space between the ice and sides OF the
structure, that space being filed with
sawdust packed in firm and the ice COW
cred with like quantity OF sawdust.
This method for housing ice was I'M
der observation for ten years, the dairy
man making the statement that a waste
il ice did not exceed 10 per cent for
any year and that each tier OF ice came
out in about as good condition as when
it was put in. This kind OF struc-
ture Is no ornament. We mention IL
to call attention to a principle in hous-
ing ice that should not be overlooked
namely, keeping the zee from coming in
contact with the air and by being care
full not to smother it by too close hous
ing.
The better class OF icehouses are con
strueted by covering the outside Of the
studding with heavy building paper and
tight-titting elapboards, ceiling on the
inside with inchthiek plain, second
grade lumber, and putting on a shingled
roof. Too often there is not enough ven
tilation provided, The gable ends Of the
house should be left open, allowing free
circulation OF air between the covered
ice and the roof. The uses for ice on
the farm arc no longer in the class Of
Injuries. but. on the other hand, ice Is
necessity. A dairyman cannot prop
erly and economically cool and hold milk
in the dairy until time for delivery to
the market without the aid. OF ice.
Rapid cooling of freshly drawn milk
greatly increases its keeping qualities
and maintains its normal odor and flaw
or. This, of course, means production
under clean methods and the milk kept
in closed containers. After a careful
study OF the question we observe that
to obtain the best results from the
use OF ice in the dairy the cooling vat
should be provided with a cover. The
object is to keep the circulating air away
from the water and ice, rs it eats up
the ice and tends TO warm the water
also. 1t "A also necessary to put snf-
fcient quantity Of ice in the vat to
hold over from day to day, not allow
ing the ice 10 get out Of the vat, SO to
speak. This keeps the water ice cold
at all times, and thus less l. required to
hold the water at that temperature.
When warm milk is put into the vat
it cools quickly. as the ice has only
milk to chill instead Of water The day
has passed for producing market milk
without the use Of ice. Ice for dairy
uses is a necessity. Cold springs and
wells are no longer to be depended upon,
as has been obvious during the last two
or three dry summers, when 50 large
4 percentage OF these have failed to
meet even moderate needs Of this kind.
Other uses for ice on the farm in
elude the keeping Of milk, butter and
meats, eggs and fruits for domestic use.
The housewife would appreciate this
feature, as it would afford luxury if
we wish to call it so and meet the
nj Of q reaI tlpcns sitN