CHAPTER XXIV. 



THE BOILER AND ITS MANAGEMENT. 



A boiler is indispensible in a well equipped dairy. The 

 steam which it provides is important, not only in securing 

 hot water and in sterilizing, but also in furnishing power. 

 A steam engine will be found useful in most dairies for 

 pumping water, separating milk, churning and freezing 

 cream, and by extending the shaft through one side of 

 the building its usefulness may be extended to sawing 

 wood, washing clothes, running the grindstone, etc. 



For the smaller dairies the upright form of boiler will 

 be found the most satisfactory. But for dairies having 

 upwards of fifty cows, the horizontal form of fire-tube 

 boiler should be used. The latter style is laid in brick. 

 The grates are supported upon brickwork and heat and 

 smoke pass along the underside of the boiler toward 

 the rear and return through the fire-tubes. To prevent 

 radiation of heat_ the brick work must be built up to 

 cover the entire boiler. The fire box must be constructed 

 of the best fire brick. 



The various boiler accessories will be described in the 

 following paragraphs: 



Glass Gauge. This is a glass tube attached to the 

 side of the boiler to indicate the height of the water in 

 it. It is so attached that its lowest point is about two 

 inches above the highest part of 'the fire line of the boiler, 

 its entire length being usually about fifteen inches. The 



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