DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 211 



make a tight joint with the edge of the tank itself. There 

 should be an overflow pipe at about the height that you desire 

 the water to stand around the can, and the overflow should be 

 of good size to prevent the danger of flooding the can with 

 water. There should also be a pipe from near the bottom of 

 the tank which should lead to the ice water pump, and also a 

 chance for the hose coming back from the milk cooler to return 

 its supply to the tank. 



In regard to the cost of such a tank, I have no figures availa- 

 ble, and believe that each man had best get his own estimate 

 from a carpenter and plumber. I simply state that I believe 

 it is the cheapest satisfactory style of tank. 



I would in no case recommend a concrete tank, as the loss 

 of ice is very considerable. 



In regard to the construction of the milk room itself: 1 

 would recommend that the floor be of concrete, with a drain in 

 the center, the floor sloping toward the center drain. By 

 setting a good trap in this drain no criticism can be made of its 

 being unsanitary, and it is certainly a great convenience. For 

 the walls and ceiling I believe the cheapest satisfactory coi:- 

 struction is to stud with 2x4's, and nail a good brand of wire lath 

 to these, using a cement plaster to plaster the walls and ceiling. 

 The cement plaster will present a surface which may be finished 

 smooth like concrete, and to all intents and purposes the walls 

 will be as permanent and as useful as concrete walls. The cost 

 of such plastering should not exceed eighty cents a square yard 

 for the lathing and plastering. The cost of the floor will prob;-i- 

 bly be in the neighborhood of $2.00 a square yard. In thi-^ 

 concreting the thing of prime importance is the quality of sand 

 used to get the surface. Concrete poorly mixed and made with 

 a poor concrete sand will wear away rapidly, and according 

 to the best information I can get, the wearing qualities of con- 

 crete depend chiefly on the kind of sand used, even more than 

 they do on the kind of Portland cement used. Any good brand 

 of Portland cement will do. 



Of course an abundant supply of hot water is greatly to be 

 desired, but on the average farm it is impractical to have this 

 in the dairy. In such a milk room as I describe, however, a pail 

 of water and a mop for the floor and walls, and taking the milk 



