Popular Science Monthly 



A Practical Ventilator for the 

 Dairy Barn 



THE essential points required for 

 obtaining the best results with this 

 system of ventilation are: The stable 

 room must be as nearly weather-proof as 

 possible. To keep out the cold air, insu- 

 late the walls and ceilings with matched 

 lumber and building paper. The foul 

 air-vent shafts start near 

 the floor, as shown, and 

 run up in almost a 

 straight line to at least 

 2 ft. above the peak of 

 the roof. The air ducts 

 should be smooth on 

 the inside and lined 

 with metal. They cai 

 be circular in cross 

 section, as the air 

 goes in spirals, as 

 in windstorms. 

 Sharp bends 

 in the shafts 

 must be 

 avoided as 

 often as pos- 

 sible. The 

 top of the 

 shaft should 

 be rain-proof. 

 These 

 shafts may 

 be covered 

 with the or- 



28D 



Making Briquettes for an Alcohol 

 Stove 



I 



Positions of ventilator shafts in a dairy bam 

 to provide a means of admitting fresh air 

 and of removing the foul air without drafts 



seen small stoves that use briquettes 

 of solidified alcohol for fuel. These 

 stoves are very useful for boiling coffee, 

 cocoa or for other purposes where an 

 intense heat is desired. They are also 

 very convenient for campers use on a 

 rainy day, as they can 

 be used in a tent, when 

 it is impossible on ac- 

 count of rain to cook 

 anything in the open 

 air. 



The alcohol briquette 

 can be used like a 

 \^ spirit lamp, and it is 

 \\ more handy. The 

 \ alcohol lamp has 

 to be carried in 

 an upright po- 

 sition to keep 

 the contents 

 from spilling; 

 while the 

 briquette is 

 fluid only 

 while it is 

 burning. 

 When not in 

 use, it solidi- 

 fies and can 

 be carried in 

 any position. 



dinary stationary or revolving ventilator 

 such as is used on smoke stacks. 



Fresh air ducts open into the ceiling 

 of the stable, directly over the cows' 

 heads. Make the air intakes in the 

 outside walls as far below the outlet 

 at the ceiling, as is practical. It is well 

 to do this, because if the intake is level 

 with the outlet in the ceiling, the warm 

 air near the ceiling will escape, reversing 

 the flow of air and exhausting the heat 

 instead of letting in fresh air. Fresh air 

 ducts give satisfaction when evenly dis- 

 tributed in front of the stock, while the 

 foul air ducts can be made large and 

 fewer in number. 



The sketch shows how this practical 

 and well-tried system works when the 

 cattle in the stable face the center of 

 the barn. It is inexpensive to install 

 in new or old barns. — W. E. Frudden. 



The yellowish, doughlike substance is 

 easily prepared. It is made as follows: 

 In a vessel of suitable size and kind, 

 1,000 parts of denatured alcohol are 

 heated by a water-bath. When the fluid 

 reaches a temperature of 140 deg. F., 35 

 parts of dried and grated Venetian soap 

 and 2 parts of gum lac are added. The 

 fluid is then stirred until the substances 

 are completely dissolved. Then the mix- 

 ture is poured into empty baking powder 

 boxes, or if a person has a briquette stove 

 and has saved the cans, the mixture can 

 be used to refill them. On cooling, the 

 mixture solidifies in the cans. In these 

 stoves, the flame is extinguished by 

 replacing the lid. The contents can thus 

 be preserved until the alcohol in the 

 mixture is exhausted. Do not use wood 

 alcohol in making the substance, as its 

 fumes are dangerous.— W. S. Standiford. 



