The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-06-05

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture
The construction of farm refr1ger-
ator large enough to meet the re-
quirements of well-equipped farm for
the storage of eggs, butter and fresh
meat and for chilling or preceding
fruits in small quantities is essential
to well-regulated farm. Such a re-
frigerator can be constructed in a
cellar, in the lean-to Of an icehouse,
or In any farm building where con-
venient and suitable protection can be
provided. If none of these alterna-
tives is possible. the refrigerator may
be constructed as an independent
building. If built as a separate struc-
ture, the same care in the choice of
site should be exercised as in choos-
ing the location Of an icehouse. The
essential feature Is a wellinsulated
room containing an Ice rack, drip pan
and drain.
A refrigerator of the following di-
mansions will meet the ordinary re-
quirement of the farm for the storage
Of butter, eggs and meats for tempo
rary periods: A box with walls feet
high covering floor space 5 by 10
feet will provide space 6 by 6 by 8
for the storage of products.
Such an arrangement will require
about 100 tons of ice during the year,
but 1t can be used to hold eggs and
butter over the season of abundant
production. A supply of fresh meat
can be kept by such means In locali-
ties where distributing wagons are not
run, and even where local supply is
available the producer can arrange to
supply his table at wholesale rather
than retail prices by killing his own
sheep, pigs or veal. Instances are
known where an equipment of this
sort has paid for itself in a single
season through the advance secured
by holding the egg output for only go
days. Dealers purchase and store
eggs while they are most abundant
and cheapest and dispose of them dur
ing the, season of less abundant pro-
duction at an advanced price. A we'll
constructed and wellhandled refrig-
orator of this kind on the farm will
enable the producer to keep this profit
at home.
Where a less expensive cooler is de-
sired an ice chest will be found to
serve a useful purpose. Such chest
can be made from two packing boxes,
one IL inches longer and wider than
the other and inches deeper. Ii the
inner box is feet wide, 2 feet deep
and 3 feet long, the outer box should
be feet wide. feet long and 80
inches deep. The inner box, which
should be made of matched white pine
or cypress, should be lined with zinc
and provided with a drip pipe in the
bottom near one end and metal graf
ing IL inches from that end. so as to
OF ice.
A layer OF six inches of cork dust
or white pine shavings should be
placed in the. bottom of the larger box
after it has been lined with water
proof building paper Place the
smalleNbox on the layer of insulation,
making provision for the drain, and
then pack the SINE insulating ma
terial tightly in the space between the
outer and the inner box. Fit board
over the packing between the boxes
so as to cover the edges of both, Then
hinge a thick, well-insulated cover to
the outer box. which should fit tightly
| and be large enough to cover the en-
tire top of the chest. The joints can
| be made tight by weather strips and
felt. The cover should be provided
with counter weight and good ice
chest hasr to hold it in place.
\ Creamery and Farmer as Business
Associates.
In any line of manufacture the pro-
| duction OF the raw material and the
manufacturing of it into a finished
| product are very closely associated.
The one would be an impossibiiity
without the other, as the amount and
| quality of the raw material furnished
by the producer affects the economic
efficiency of the manufacturing estab-
YshmeAt, while the produce: OF the