Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-12-15

flon-C, Floor Plan-D, Sectional
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
The cost of constructing refrig-
orator or an ice chest is small in COM
parison with economic returns and the
comfort they offer the farmer. They
are even of greater importance in the
country than in the city, although
many of our rural population do not
avail themselves of the opportunity to
enjoy the luxury of ice.
The United States department of ag-
riculture in a farmers bulletin (No.
475) on 'Tce Houses" outlines the
manner of construction of farm re-
frigerator large enough to meet the
requirements of well-equipped farm
for the storage of butter, eggs and
fresh meats and for chilling fruit in
small quantities.
This refrigerator can be constructed
in a cellar, in the lean-to of an ice
house, or in any other farm building
where convenient and suitable protec-
ton can be provided. Il none of these
alternatives is possible the refrigera-
tor may be constructed as an inde-
pendent building. If built as a sepa-
rate structure the same care in the
choice of site should be exercised as
in choosing the location of an icehouse.
The construction is shown in detail
in Fig. l. The essential feature is
well-insulated room containing an ice
rack, drip pan and drain. This refrig-
orator is by 10 feet and has floor
space by feet available for the
storage of produce.
Such an arrangement viii require
about 100 tons of ice during the year,
but it 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 Iocali-
ties where distributing wagons are
not run. and even where a local sup
ply is available the producer can ar
range 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 60
days. Dealers purchase and store
eggs while they are most abundant
and dispose of them during the sea-
advanced price. A well-consti ucted
and well-handled refrigerator of this
kind on the farm will enable the pro-
Queer to keep this profit at home.
Construction of Ice Chest.
Where a less expensive cooler is
desired an ice chest viii be found to
serve useful purpose. Such a ch est
can be made from two boxes, one II
inches longer and wider than the
other and inches deeper If the
inner box is feet wide, feet deep
and 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 a metal graf
ing Y inches from that end. so as to
make a cage in which to store a block
of ice. A layer of inches of cork
dust or dry 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 smaller
box on the layer of insulation, making
provision for the drain, and then
pack the same insulating material
tightly in the space between the outer
and the inner box Fit a board over
the packing between the boxes so as
to cover the edge of both. Then hinge
thick, wellinsulated cover to the en-
tire top of the chest. The joints can
be made tight by weather strips and
felt. The cover should be provided
with a counter weight and a good ice
chest hasp to hold it in place.
How to Make Ice.
Where there are no ice ponds block
ice can be made easily by allowing,
water to freeze in cans of heavy gal
vanized iron provided with a heavy
band-iron or wire reinforcement
around the top. Any tinsmith can
make such cans.
The cans should be of the dimen-
sions of standard cake of ice; that
is, % inches square at the top, the
bottom being som ewhae smaller so as
to make the sides OF the can slightly
fiaring. and the depth to be % or 80
inches as desired. AS soon as settled
cold weather comes arrange The cans
on a level plat of ground or on Level
platform near the well or other water
supply. Fill the canSwith clear, fresh
water. and when a sufficient thickness
of ice has formed to permit them to be
turned over, even if the shell of ice
is not more than y or 2 inches thick.
poar a quart or two o. boiling water
over each upturned can 10 loosen it