March, 1927] 



Electricity on New England Farms 



41 



fuel and labor for the boiler is quite high. If steam and hot water are used for 

 washing and sterilizing, the change to an electric driven brush does not eliminate 

 the boiler, though it will make it unnecessary to carry more than 10 or 15 

 pounds pressure, which will reduce the fuel cost considerably. It is also a step 

 toward the elimination of the boiler method. 2.2 kwh. is regularly used each 

 month for this operation. 



Dairy Cooling Rooms. Like the household refrigerator the dairy cooling 

 room, chilled by electric refrigeration machines, has been pronounced prac- 

 tical and successful by the three dairymen who are using them. The plan 

 used in the experiment was intended primarily for retail dairymen who handle 

 bottled milk, but has since been tried by several farmers handling milk in 

 cans. Tank type coolers have been developed bj' other experiments for handling 

 wholesale milk or milk in cans. 



The mechanical equipment for these rooms consists of a twin cylinder, air- 

 cooled compressor driven by a 54 or 1-3 h. p. motor connected by pipe lines 

 and suitable valves with a system of coils immersed in a brine tank located in- 

 side the cooling room. The units used have been found particularly effioient 

 and ruggedly constructed as is evident from a comparison of their size and the 

 size of room which they are chilling. One of these machines has been oper- 

 ating for three years, and the other two for one year. 



Farm No. 1. This room measures I'-xT ft. x (5 ft. high. The walls and 

 ceiling have two air spaces, 3" of cork insulation, and V cement lining. Dur- 

 ing the past season an uninsulated, concrete floor was used. The room, con- 

 verted from an ice cooler, is in the basement and stores 300 quarts of milk daily. 



Farm No. 2. This cooler measures about 4!4\5 , -_. ft. x QVj ft. high, and was 

 converted from an ice cooled storage by the addition of cork insulation vary- 

 ing in thickness from 1 to 3 inches. Due to irregular construction, a uniform 

 thickness could not be applied. This room is exposed to the sun's heat for 

 about, four hours daily on two sides, and is on the same Level as the barn floor. 

 Three hundred quarts of milk are stored daily. 



TABLE 19. Dairy Cooling Room Records on Experimental Farms 



Farm No. 4. This is a newly constructed room, containing 4" of cork insula- 

 tion in all walls, ceiling and floor, and fitted with a standard refrigerator door. 

 The dimensions are b% ft. square x 6 1 /- ft. high. A W cement lining makes 

 it possible to sluice the room down with water in cleaning. It is on the ground 

 floor and protected on all sides from excessive changes in temperature. A 

 small section of the space is used by the housewife in place of a household 

 refrigerator. For this reason the room is somewhat larger than would ordinar- 

 ily be necessary. Three hundred quarts of milk are stored daily. 



Records are given in Table 19. 



Proper construction, using cork insulation, is essential, and location of the 

 room in a cool, dry place will reduce operating costs. A well constructed room 

 will provide safe storage for milk in winter by keeping out the cold as well as in 

 summer by keeping in the cold. 



Operating costs are found to compare very favorably with the older method. 

 The maximum shown in the table occurs in August and September. During 

 (lie cold months the machines are not used. 



