Show ILEA S fr oar t b hardret MAY wa storing ice for farm use in any farm home an adequate supply of ice for summer use is indispensable for the preservation ol of food and for use in the preparation of frozen desserts and cold refreshing beverages on a dairy farm if the product is to be properly taken care of and properly handled the storing of ice for use during the hot weather is practically mandatory in this article therefore some in information will be offered relative to methods of storing ice SOURCES OF ICE if ice is to be harvested from ponds or slow moving streams where grass and weeds grow it is desirable that the waters should be cleared of such growth before freezing weather occurs it if ice is harvested without such clearance it will contain much decayed vegetable matter with mosses and plant stems all of which are a nuisance in the ice and may even be injurious to health it is necessary further to destroy the green scum which may lie on the surface of such waters this may be done by the use of copper sulphate blue vitriol place the crystals 1 I 1 pound for each cubic feet of water in a cloth bag hang the bag on a pole and trail it through the water until all the crystals are dissolved one or two such treatments during the summer will keep down the growths of green spawn and algae QUANTITY REQUIRED the quantity needed will of course depend upon the number of cows kept and the methods of handling the product it has been found that under proper conditions of storage and handling a half ton of ice per cow is sufficient if the cream only is to be cooled if however whole milk is to be cooled 1 tons of ice per cow will be required in the north and two tons in the south five tons of ice will meet the needs of an average family on a general farm preparations FOR CUTTING As soon as the ice is strong enough in the fall to carry the weight of a horse the snow should be scraped from the surface using a scraper if the ice field is small this snow may be scraped entirely off on a larger field it will have to be laid up in windrows wind rows LAYING OFF THE FIELD it is important to mark the field for cutting so that all cakes will be rectangular since this shape is the easiest to handle and pack CUTTING TIIE THE ICE in order to facilitate the movement of ice from the center of the field to the loading place it is customary to cut first a strip of ice 22 inches wide extending from th the center of the field to the loading way this initial strip is then forced under the field leaving open water through which succeeding cuttings may be floated to the landing place in the parlance of professional ice harvesters this proceeding is known as sinking the header succeeding strips grooved two or three inches deep in squares but not cut clear through are then floated to the load ing way and there cut into squares for hauling and storing THE ICE II 11 OUSE HOUSE it is important to locate the ice house on porous soil sloping in all directions to facilitate drainage it is well also to take advantage of trees hillsides hill sides or buildings to protect the building from the direct rays of the sun ventilating AND waterproofing whatever type of ice house it is finally decided to build it will be necessary to provide for both ventilation and waterproofing there is inevitably more or less melting in any ice house which causes moisture to collect on ceiling and walls it II the building is of wood such collection of moisture will cause decay consequently the building should be equipped with ventilation to keep walls and ceiling dry it is also important to waterproof the building on the inside whether of wood brick or cement this may be done by using a suitable paint or one of the waterproofing water proofing compounds made of paraffin and asphalt SIZE OF HOUSE REQUIRED usually a cubic foot of space will hold 45 to 50 pounds if the ice is cut properly and piled in closely less naturally if the ice is irregularly cut or thrown in at random for information concerning types of construction st tor lor icehouses ice houses tad and other important instructions send tive cents to superintendent ot 1 documents ente washington D C asking lot farmers bulletin Bul letia no ho wl CUTWORMS IN THE IRIS BED in beds of iris seedlings cut worms are frequently a great menace when their depredations are observed it is advisable to scatter about th the e b beds e ds a poi poison s on bran m mash ash sh consisting of one fourth pound paris green 1 peck dry bran 1 pint syrup or molasses 4 to 6 quarts water mix the paris green and the bran thoroughly in another vessel stir the syrup or molasses into 4 or 6 quarts of water then slowly add the sweetened water to the poisoned bran I 1 |