34 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo Jan., 191 i. 



COOL storagp: on northern farms. 



E. A. R viand i Dairy Supervisor. 



Cool storage for perishable produce on the farm is a necessity during 

 the summer months, especially in the northern districts. To meet this 

 necessity, the canvas room illustrated was erected by Mr. W. G. Dickeson, 

 of Laen North, near Donald, and has been used with satisfactory results 

 during the past twelve months. 



The room is 6 feet square, and 6 ft. 6 in. in height. It is provided 

 with a fly-proof perflation panel 9 inches high immediately above the 

 floor and running round the four walls. The roof is fitted with a cowl 

 ventilator which allows a direct draught upwards. A pine floor, protected 



from white ants, is pro- 

 vided. It is the inten- 

 tion to grow creepers on 

 the wire-netting frame- 

 work outside. 



Water laid on from 

 the tank filled by the 

 farm windmill is distri- 

 buted over the roof and 

 walls by perforated lead 

 piping. Surplus water i; 

 ' iught in the spouting 

 above the fly-proof ven- 

 tilation and is directed to 

 a thriving vegetable gar- 

 den, which conveniently 

 needs moisture in the hot 

 weather when cool storage 

 is required, so that the 

 water is thereby doubly 

 utilized. The low tem- 

 perature of the room is 

 created and maintained 

 by the evaporation of the 

 moisture in the walls and 

 in(5f . 



Mr. Dickson has not 



used a thermometer in 



the room, but he states 



that water in a water-bag 



hung there keeps much 



cooler than in a water-bag under the house verandah. At present it is 



principally used as a meat-room, and meat has been kept perfectly fresh 



in it for as long as thirteen days. 



The principle of evaporation for cooling purposes is not new, water-bags 

 having been in use a great many years ; and it has been applied to house- 

 hold cupboards built with canvas or hessian walls supplied with water 

 from a kerosene tin standing on top. 



The room described was built with day labour for the sum of jQ'io, 

 and it is interesting to note that the same builder has already built nine 



MR. DICKESOX S COOL ROOM. 



