Pueblo chieftain., 1921-02-09
Rv rrcdcric ]. Haskin

By Frederic j. ttashlh
Washington, u. C, Feb. s.-rhc
chances for a good crop OF natural ice
this winter are slim, and tho chances
for an ice shortage next summer are
correspondingly good.
The winter is mild in most sections.
and comparatively little ice has been
4 harvested so FAR,
| This may not seem to affect thc city
dweller, who knows that the ice in
his glass never grew in pond, But
| Il does affect him, because this coun :
try is more dependant upon natural
| ice than most of US imagine. TWO
thirds of the cities now make their own
ice. Yet OF the IS 10000 tons Of ice used
in a year, nearly half is natural ice
So even while the cities are rcflectinS
comfortably that their ice supply Is
not dependent on natures whims, their
supply of meat, butter, nsh. milk, and
other foods may be hit in price, quaint
ity. and quality by a poor crop In the
ice belt.
People are relying on ice more and
more. and for all sorts of purposes.
Evcr-increasing quantities are con-
sumed for storing pcrishable foods. for
cooling purposes in bleaching and
dycing establishments, munitions
works, glue factories, sausage making
| plants. theaters. and morgucS. Textiles
/ and furniture arc put In cold storage
Office buildings have their tempera-
lures reduced to comfortable figure
in hot weather by refriGcrating ma
chinery. The air in hospitals is arti-
ficially cooled In cases Of fever and
tropical diseases. Hotels arc such
voracious consumers OF ice that tho
largest have their own icc plants. and
all the others are big purchasers.
But all the possibilities of refriscra-
tion are not exhausted. for new uses
are now and then discovered. \ ST
Louis man recently gave some thought
to the demand for summer fruits in
cold weather and the high prices they
command in hotels and fruit stores.
and he came to the conclusion that II
would be a good thing II some OF tho
porishable kinds could be kept in cold
storage. He tried his scheme with
strawberries and cherries, storing
them at temperature 10 degrees
above zero. After eight months tho
fruit was taken out. soaked In ice
water to take the frost out and was
used in ice cream. pies and short
cake. II "a said 10 have been full
/ favored with n much more natural
taste than canned fruits.
Frozen Fruit.
After moro experiments with to-
matocs, plums. and berries OF various
kinds. he was convinced OF tho prac-
ticability OF storing pcriShablc fruit.
One large baker. he says, now has
s2D.O worth OF cherries stored in his
plant and draws them out during the
winter for fresh cherry pies.
Commercial use OF ice for storage
constitutes regular, enormous de-
mand on the leo supply. Use OF ice in
1 Individual homes is more uncertain.
Last year, "A moderately cool summer
and high prices kept down home con-
sumption to an extent that was keen
ly felt by ice dealers.
Nobody knows what next summer
will be. but weather sharks around
here who like 10 put two and two to-
gcther are saying, "a mild winter, a
hot summer"
II We are in for hot summer one
/ kind of food will surely he affected
by a low supply Of natural Ice. That
/ is milk and other dairy products.
Tho government has been trying to
Impress on dairy farms the necessity
OF using ice in hot weather to keep
milk cool enough who say they arc too