14 CANADIAN DAIRYING. 



from the farm, carries away soil fertility. The sale of 

 milk also robs the soil ; but in order to produce the 

 milk, food must be fed to the cows, and about eighty 

 per cent, of the fertilizing material in the food is 

 available for the soil. Where butter or cream only is 

 sold very little soil fertility is carried from the farm, 

 as butter and cream consist largely of those elements 

 which the plant gathers from the air, hence cost 

 the farmer nothing. Buttermaking is a most valuable 

 means of restoring the fertility to worn-out soils. 



ICE-HOUSES FOR THE DAIRY FARM. 



Every dairy farmer should provide a supply of ice 

 for cooling milk and other farm products. It is 

 also very convenient for household purposes in hot 

 weather. 



A very simple and cheap house will serve for 

 storing ice. The main requisites in an ice-house are 

 to have drainage under the ice, ventilation above 

 it, and protection from the direct rays of the sun 

 and from the rain. A few rails covered with saw- 

 dust, placed in the bottom, of the house, will provide 

 drainage. Some posts placed in the ground in such 

 a way as to provide support for a " shanty- roof," and 

 support on the sides for rough lumber, and holding 

 the sawdust in place, will produce the other requisites 

 The ice should be packed firmly and solidly, having 

 about one foot of sawdust around the sides and on 

 top of the ice. The air should circulate above the 

 sawdust, which can be got in a shanty-roof building 

 by leaving the gables on the sides not boarded. 



