The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-06-26
THE ICELEss REFRIGERATOR.

for operating the icebox to get high
efficiency at low cost for ice, and
this article Is for those who have
no ice and want to take advantage
of the cooling effect of heat, mois-
ture and drafts of air to keep things
cool. Putting things in a can or
bucket and covering them up gets
the greatest amount of heat, the
least ventilation and the quickest
decay. There is way to reverse
the action of the elements and get
pretty good results at cooling and
preserving things to keep them from
getting stale. The hotter and drier
the weather is, the better it works
il you have the iceless refrigerator
in operation.
There are certain things that lay
hold of heat and take it away A
draft Of air is one of them, and there
is generally draft in doorway or
an open window even when there is
no breeze. Moisture in heated area
has tendency to develop a draft,
and the drier the area, the more
draft the moist spot or surface will
develop and the more effectively the
heat will be carried away from the
location of the moisture and draft.
If you had to sit in a hot shanty,
you could reduce the temperature
by hanging four wet sheets about
you and sitting within the enclosure
made by them. Following out that
principle makes the iceless refriger-
ator. They are used a great deal in
the desert homes of the southwest,
and are often found right out in the
sun with cool drink on the inside,
Of
the force that lays hold of heat
and carries it away just as surely as
a thief lays hold of money or treas
ure and carries it away. The pio-
neer or traveller, camping temporar-
lily in any spot can rig up a cooler
by driving four stakes, stretching
burlap around them to form an en-
closure, place vessel of water on
the top with pinholes in the vessel
to make it leak slowly upon the bur-
lap to keep 1t wet, and place his
drinking water or foods within the
enclosure. A coal oil can is a fav-
orite vessel to use as the tank at
the top, and the movement of air
along the sides of the wet burlap
takes the heat out of the enclosure. |
Dry wind will not do it, but dry, hot |
air coming on contact with the wet |
burlap or other goods enclosing the |
central space does it, and the drier
and hotter the air, the more vigor-
ously it acts. The same scheme in
hot, wet climate does not sget as
much effect as in hot, dry climate,
SO the simple arrangement mention
ed is especially valuable in the Idaho
climate.
The person who wants this effect
for the present hour without going
to the trouble of making the one de-
scribed below, can set the plate of
food in an open window where the
sun does not shine on it, and cover
it with wet cloths, and that consti-
tues an iceless refrigerator while the
cloths remain wet or damp. A large
quantity of food can be kept toler-
ably cool and quite fresh and pure
by using large cloths and wetting
them occasionally. The drinking
water can be kept cooler by laying !
a wet cloth over it. Keeping the
bucket or cupfull in an open window
where there is draft will add some s
to the cooling effect.
The government bulletin number '
927 is devoted to farm home conven- g
fences and tells just how to make
them, giving pictures that make 1t /
much easier to understand. The fol-
lowing is reprinted from the bulle- I
tin on construction and operation 8
Of iceless refrigerators, and II there i
ID no opportunity to make 1t now, it v
might be kept for reference later t
when there is time to make one. t
The Iceless Refrigerator. Il
A very useful convenience for thu 7
arm home where ice is not obtain 8
lble, is the iceless refrigerator. 1t
will keep meats, fruits and vegeta- C.
lies cool, and will extend the period
or keeping milk and butter. 1t can
Llso serve as q cooler for drinking
vater. In homes where large guam
tiles of milk and butter are, to be ii
,ept, it would be we'll to have one IL
efrigerator for milk and butter and II
mother for other foods, as milk and Il
utter readily absorb odors from 9th II
r foods. 1t costs very little to build W
he refrigerator and nothing to Oper- g.
tie it. CT
Construction.
A wooden frame Is made with d. OF
tensions AZ by 16 or A inches and T.
overed with screen wire, preferably SO
he rustless type, which costs little j.
lore than the ordinary kind. The hi
OOT ~ Iudu0 10 III CiOSciy duu 10 al
on brass hinges, and can be ic
astened with a wooden latch. The CT
ottom is fitted solid, but the top m
Mould be covered with screen wire. liz
djustable shelves can be made Of til
did wood or strips, or sheets of gal m
anized metal. Shelves made OF de
oultry netting on light wooden m
'ames are probably the most desir- of
BILE. These shelves rest on side sa
races placed at desired intervals. A
read baking pan IA by 16 inches at
placed on the top and the frame TO
'sts in II by IS inch pan. tic
All the woodwork, the shelves and Ju
e pans should receive two coats of CO
hite paint and one or two coats of tn
hite enamel. This makes a very CO
tractive surface and one than can WI
} easily qept clean. The screen fol
Ire also may receive the coats of be
amel, which will prevent 1t from wi