The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-03-02

The Use Of Artificial Light Has Prod
/. duetlon Of Flocks In
(Prspassd b the United eta4sS Department |
u Atriculturel
Warm air weighs less than cool air
and here lies the basic principle Of
properly heating box cars IN winter
to protect potato shipments against
frosts that nip into the farmers prof
its as well az into the potatoes. Next
to providing heat, the matter Of get
ting It to circulate 80 that It reaches
practically all the potatoes in the car
is Of greatest importance.
The directions for preparing a box
car for potato shipments given here
with are in accord with recommends
lions Of the United States Department
of Agriculture and apply to winter
shipments Of sweet potatoes destined
for northern points, as well as to the
white variety. ...,.
Suitable Lining ls Important. ;
A stove will warm enough air to
protect a car Of potatoes from freez-
ing even in severe weather, providing
the car lining is built and kept in such
a condition that the warm air can get
down to the floor and sides where 1t
is needed. To accomplish this a COM
plete air passage must be formed en-
tirely around the load.
When potatoes are loaded In bulk,
1t is necessary to construct what are
in effect two bins, one on either side
Of the central area where the stove
is placed, If the shipment Is likely
to pass through severe weather. In
many instances, Of course, 1t Is en-
tirely safe to ship without artificial
heat in the car.
Before constructing the bins, the
walls and ceiling Of the car itself must
be covered with building paper. Fol
lowing this a false floor is laid on
supports running lengthwise, thereby
creating air channels four to six
inches deep, extending beneath the
false floor from the center Of the car
to either end where they connect with
vertical air passages formed by false
walls built four to six inches from
the car ends. Likewise, false walls
are built few inches from the sides
and false door Is erected at one side
for a stovepipe to 60 through.
Bulkheads are put across the car
ut either side Of the door to form
well for the stove. These walls, as
we'll as the center bulkheads, rise well
toward the ceiling. The bins are lined
with paper, the same as the car walls.
The false floor supports permit the
cool air to settle below the false floor
and to move toward the base OF the
stove, where It rises as It is heated
and circulates toward the ends Of the
car, between the load and the ceiling.
A rough estimate Of the lumber and
paper required to line an 8 BY 8h by
88-foot car, with doors 5 feet wide,
Is as follows:
=
Spieces 2 by s inches by 16 feet.
1900 square feet Of 1-inch lumber, 10 feet
2.N0 square feet Of building paper.
The Is 2-by-4's should be sawed In
half, making 20 pieces feet long.
Six inches should be sawed off the
length of each of the eight 2-by-6
pieces. Enough Of the 18-foot boards
should be sawed into 8-foot lengths
to make a total width Of 81 feet Of
S.foot boards and other of these boards
sawed into 6-foot lengths to make a
total width Of feet. This will leave
a few 4-foot lengths. One foot should
be sawed off the remaining 18foot
boards, leaving them Is feet long.
This lumber is all that Is required
by an experienced loader to complete
" equip car with false walls and
bulkheads. Detailed directions for
putting up the lining, easily under
stood. are contained in Farmers Bull
letin 1901 issued by the United States
Department Of Agriculture.
The shipper is cautioned not to load
potatoes 30 close to the ceiling that
thew block circulation. There must be
a large unobstructed opening for the
warm air to pass down to the fool
after 1t has spread the length Of thu
ceiling from the heater. The circu
lation il slow and labored. and to limi,
4 nv Milling the sacks so that they ex
tend beyond the false walls cause!
serious interference. In placing pota
toes in sacks on the false floor mex
to the walls care should be taken t
set them few inches from these par
titions, since they are in the regiol
where the frost first becomes effectiv'
Il the car Is not properly heated.
Lined Cars Returned TO- Shippers.
Il IL recognized that preparation o
the car II the manner indicated In
volves 4 considerable initial expense
Usually. however, shippers plan TO US
both ~ stove and the lumber TOR re
heated shipments. II Maine cars ar
eouipped substantially in the way de
scsibed and ussd by shippers repeated
y, the cars being returned ~ .