Modern Conveniences on the Farm 



Inexpensive machinery for a lighting and water system. 

 By H. B. Roth 



TO have city comforts and conveniences 

 in the farm home, it is necessary to 

 have some kind of power. If there is 

 a stream of any size, electricity is the 

 cheapest power obtainable. Lacking this, 

 a gasoline engine is the best possible 

 solution of the problem. 



On a recently purchased farm in southern 

 Michigan, the owner has made it his first 

 duty to supply those comforts which are 

 luxuries to many farmers, but absolute 

 necessities to the family which has formerly 

 lived in a large city. An adequate water 

 supply being the first consideration, a 6-in. 

 well was driven through hard-pan and blue 

 clay to a depth of 90 ft. Good water was 

 struck 20 ft. below the surface. However, 

 the deeper well yields a continual flow of 

 cool water of a superior quality. To 

 convey this to all the buildings, an auto- 

 matic pump which works by air pressure 

 was placed within the 6-in. pipe. A large 

 air-compressor tank run by the gasoline 

 engine stands in the house sheltering the 

 well. There is no storage tank for water. 

 A faucet opened anywhere starts the action 

 of the pump, and fresh water directly from 

 the well is immediately obtainable. 



The same engine which pumps air into 

 the compressor-tank runs the dynamo 

 which charges a set of storage batteries 

 furnishing electricity for the entire farm. 

 By the same power corn is shelled and 

 ground, alfalfa turned into meal, and the 

 grindstone turned for the busy man. Even 

 the exhaust from the engine is utilized. A 

 discarded water tank is set on end beside 

 the engine. The exhaust pipe is run into 

 this tank, which radiates enough heat to 

 raise the temperature above freezing. The 

 extended pipe, connected with a rect- 

 angular pipe-frame resting on the floor of 

 the watering trough outside, prevents the 

 water from freezing in severe weather. 



The water is piped to the house, supply- 

 ing two bath-rooms, kitchen and laundry. 

 There is also a hydrant furnishing fresh 

 water in the pig-house which is also 

 supplied with a large feed-cooker. The 

 overflow from the well is piped to the hen- 

 house where the water trickles into troughs 

 made of galvanized eave drains that are 



securely fastened to the side of the house 

 at the proper height. At the farther end 

 of the 56-ft. poultry house, the water 

 empties into a pipe which carries it 100 ft. 

 or more to a trough in the colony yard, 

 supplying another flock of chickens. The 

 troughs are brushed out daily, and the flow 

 of water is steady enough to insure coolness 

 and purity at all times. The water may be 

 shut off within the engine-house on cold 

 nights, and any coating of ice in the 

 trough is quickly melted with a kettleful of 

 boiling water. 



For baths, kitchen and laundry work, 

 and the scrupulous care of milk utensils, a 

 constant supply of hot water in the house 

 is of great importance. The hot-water 

 tank is connected with the hot-air furnace 

 and laundry stove. However, it was not 

 always convenient to keep a fire in the 

 laundry stove, especially in hot weather. 

 After much consideration, a blue-flame oil 

 heater was installed, and that has given 

 perfect satisfaction during the past year. 

 It is used in connection with the laundry 

 stove on wash-days, and alone at other 

 times. After the water is hot, which is in 

 a very short time, two of the three fires 

 may be extinguished, leaving one burner 

 lighted to insure hot water at all times. If 

 the water is entirely cold, the three burners 

 lighted will heat enough water for a bath in 

 20 minutes. The heater is simple in con- 

 struction, easily cared for, and much 

 cheaper and more convenient to run than 

 a coal stove. 



Electricity lights the engine-house, poul- 

 try house, stable, barnyard and residence. 

 An electric iron is considered the greatest 

 labor-saving device in the house. There 

 are outlets in the kitchen where electric 

 stoves may be attached, and a vacuum 

 cleaner may be run on the same current. 

 It is the owner's intention to install an 

 electric motor in the basement for the 

 purpose of running the washer and cream- 

 separator, as the engine house is too far 

 distant from the residence to make use of 

 the gasoline engine for these purposes. 



It is possible to have all the conveniences 

 and comforts in the farm home at prac- 

 tically the same cost as in the city establish- 



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