34 



New Hampshire Experiment Station 



[Bulletin 22S 



Farm No. -5. A wood range has been retained to heat the kitchen, and a 

 separate electric range installed. The electric range has three surface burners, a 

 standard size oven, master switch and automatic time and temperature controls. 

 This has been installed for so short a time that the records are withheld. 



Records for the five farms are given in Table 11. 



Farm No. 7. In the large kitchen both a regulation wood range, supplement- 

 ing the furnace, and an electric range are used. The volume of work carried on 

 indicates that the combined capacity of the two ranges is advisable. The elec- 

 tric range has four surface plates, one large and one small oven, a warming 

 closet, and automatic time and temperature controls. 



TABLE 11. Kitchen Range Records on Experimental Farms 



Both types of ranges are found practical and more desirable for cooking than 

 coal or wood ranges by the housewives. Cost of operation is not considered ex- 

 cessive. 



Initial cost of equipment is probably a greater factor with rural buyers than 

 with city residents. 



While the availability of wood seems to have had no pronounced influence for 

 or against the installation of electric ranges, it does have a marked influence on 

 the type of range selected and the resulting current consumption. 



Farm ranges are required to carry maximum loads very frequently; therefore 

 rugged construction is desirable. A master switch for protecting the appliance 

 during electrical storms should be required, if not provided by the manufacturer. 



Black enamel or black enamel with white panel trim is recommended for dur- 

 ability and ease of cleaning. 



Automatic controls, both time and temperature, are undoubtedly very impor- 

 tant for economical operation, and arc to be recommended. The lack of such 

 control on Farm No. 4 is undoubtedly responsible in part for the relatively 

 heavy current consumption. 



Local conditions, such as heating the kitchen, providing large quantities of 

 hot water and the local fuel situation, are important to consider. 



Year-around baking, summer canning and cooking extra heavy meals for sum- 

 mer help are the outstanding uses. 



The total current consumption of ranges in farm homes will probably be 

 higher than those operated in the city due to the greater amount of cooking 

 done. The maximum consumption shown in the table occurred regularly in 

 August and September. The minimum varies from December to April. 



Fireless Cooker. Fireless cookers appear to be of little practical value after 

 the installation of an electric range, due to the fact that the range ovens are able 

 to do even more than the cooker is capable of. No record of a fireless cooker 

 used alone is available at present. 



Household Refrigeration. Electric household refrigeration appears now to be 

 an outstanding success. Its many advantages are as fully recognized by the 

 farmer and his wife as by any city user. 



