1878 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4:17 
consisting - of simple straight rods, affixed. This 
may be put together in a short time, and will allow 
the question, whether or not it is desirable to go to 
further expense for a more complete and effective 
implement, the “wheat-hoe,” to be fairly tested. 
A Cider and Vinegar House. 
A plan for a building devoted to the making of 
cider and vinegar, is given in the accompanying 
engravings. It may be made of any desired size, 
but if less than 21 feet wide, it will be found incon¬ 
veniently narrow. The upper floors, and the roof, 
should be made high,—at least 9 feet—that it may 
be airy. The upper floor, shown at fig. 1, contains 
bins a, a, for the storage of apples, and to hold the 
pomace, 6, 6, for 12 to 24 hours, for mellowing and 
coloring; a grinding mill, c, and a trap, d, with 
shoot leading to the press below. A wide door 
should be made at both ends, and a window in each 
bent upon either side, with slatted shutters, for 
ventilation and shade. The lower floor, 
fig. 2, contains the press, D, and frames, 
A’, to hold the barrels. These frames, 
or skids, consist of parallel timbers, 
fastened together by cross pieces mor¬ 
tised or dovetailed into them, and raised 
18 or 24 inches above the floor, by short 
posts, or legs. A second tier may be 
built up above the lower one, and per¬ 
haps two or three feet in the rear, so 
that the cider may be readily drawn from 
the upper into the lower barrels. The 
bins for the apples should be made of 
open slat work, and the bottom raised a 
few inches from the floor, and sloping 
from back to front. Then the apples 
gravitate to the front and lower side, 
rendering the emptying of the bin an easy 
matter. This form of bin also prevents the heating 
of the apples, and keeps them in the best condition. 
fact is recognized in ad well regulated dairies, and 
especially in those where high-priced butter is made. 
Successful dairymen state tiiat the gain in the 
price obtained for their products by the use of 
ice, many times repays the cost; and in preserving 
meats, etc., its worth is to be estimated by comput¬ 
ing the total value of the things kept from spoiling. 
Numerous plans of substantial ice-houses may be 
found in the fall and winter numbers of the Ameri¬ 
can Agriculturist of past years. Figure 3, illustrates 
an ice-house that can be quickly erected at a very 
slight outlay for materials, and at the cost of only 
a few hours’ labor. The size is determined by 
the length of the planks or boards to be used. 
Nine posts, rough, sawed, or hewn, of suitable 
hight are provided, and two put up at each corner, 
as in figure 2, resting upon a block of wood or a 
stone, or set in the ground. At one side of the 
front, the ninth post is placed, to serve as one side 
of the door; the bottom planks all around, are 
nailed to the posts, which may be more firmly 
secured in place by cleats connecting those at each 
corner; the front posts are a foot or so longer than 
the others, to permit of a shed roof. A plate of 
light scantling secures the tops in place. Now it 
is ready for the ice. First, put on the ground a 
layer of sawdust, shavings, or cut hay, so that it 
will be at least six inches deep, when firmly packed 
down. Then put in the first tier of ice, keeping the 
blocks a foot away from the plank wall; fill the 
space solidly with the saw-dust or other packing 
material (a. fig. 2); then the second tier of ice ; 
next, put in position more planks, and so on, until 
the house is filled ; storing the ice, and carrying up 
the wall together, and filling in between with saw¬ 
lee. 
Every year the use of ice on the farm increases ; 
and it is surprising, with all that has been said and 
published on the subject, that every farmer in the 
land has not some means of keeping a store of ice 
for summer use. Ice is not merely a luxury, but it 
becomes a necessity so soon as its value is known 
Fig. 2.— CIDER HOUSE—LOWER FLOOR. 
by experience. As with many others of nature’s 
gifts, however, its very abundance causes it 
to be disregarded ; and this mine of usefulness 
is formed once a year, perhaps almost at the 
farm-house door, and is allowed to pass away 
in spring unworked, save by not more than one 
farmer in ten. Ice in the dairy is next to indis¬ 
pensable, for holding milk at a proper temperature, 
and for use in working and keeping butter. This 
Fig. 1.— ICE-HOUSE AT DONALD G. MITCHELL’S. 
dust, etc., as the work progresses. The planks need 
only be slightly nailed, to keep them up when the 
ice is removed, as they will be held in position by 
the posts without, and the pressure from within. A 
door (&,) is made by simply using two lengths of 
plank on the front side, as indicated by the posts 
in fig. 2. When the house is 
full, a thick layer of the pack¬ 
ing material is also put on 
top of the ice. Drainage is 
secured by placing the struc¬ 
ture on sloping ground. A 
roof of slabs, a thatch, or any¬ 
thing to keep out rain, is suf¬ 
ficient. With a little care and 
taste in the construction, this 
may be made quite pleasing 
in appearance—as by the use 
of unhewn cedar posts, and 
making the slabs of the roof 
of even length, and to project 
at the caves considerably. 
Fig. 1 represents an ice-house 
seen on the place of Donald 
G. Mitchell, made picturesque 
by a roof and ends of rough 
slabs. The main part of the 
ice-room is below the surface 
of the ground, and may be 
constructed of stones or timber. An ice-house like 
those suggested here, or even one of greater pre¬ 
tensions, may have its appearance improved by the 
free use of climbing vines ; these answer not only 
as an embellishment, but serve a useful end in 
breaking the force of the sun’s rays and keeping 
the building much cooler than it would be under 
full exposure. It costs no more to make the smaller 
farm buildings tasteful and picturesque in appear¬ 
ance, than to have them look ugly and cheap. 
Farmers’ Clubs. 
Make TJse of the Knowledge of "Sour Neigh¬ 
bors. 
The season of fairs has passed, and with most 
satisfactory results. Farmers who have attended 
have gained much in knowledge of the method® 
Fig. 2.— GROUND PLAN OF FIGURE 3. 
and experience of others. Premiums won are satis¬ 
factory evidence of the correctness of the system 
which produced the winning articles. Failure to 
win should teach us how to improve our practice,, 
that we may obtain better results. Many have 
found personal contact and conversation with others 
to be one of the best features of these exhibitions. 
And it is ttiis phase of the fairs that may and should 
be extended through the winter by means of farm¬ 
ers’ clubs. A large number is not essential to the 
success of such an organization ; nor even is an 
elaborate constitution necessary. A half dozen in¬ 
terested men meeting once a week at each others" 
houses, to talk over farm matters, will derive much 
good from the association. Of course, the larger 
the number participating in the discussions, the 
more valuable will be the results, and as many as 
possible should be induced to join. From a half 
dozen upward, the simpler the organization the 
better. Where there are a constitution and by-laws, 
much time will be wasted in amending and tinker¬ 
ing them. An assemblage of farmers needs only 
the rules of common courtesy to govern it. We 
once heard Agassiz say: “ Why all this talk about 
by-laws, a company of gentlemen need no by-laws."' 
A large association will of course need some rules, 
but the fewer and simpler these are, the better. A 
good way is, to have the host as chairman of the 
meeting at his house ; it should also be agreed upon 
Fig. 3.—CHEAP AND PICTURESQUE ICE-nOUSE. 
at each meeting, what is to be the question for dis¬ 
cussion at the next, and the place appointed. Thera 
let the talks be quite informal, with no special lead¬ 
ers, each putting in his word according to his knowl¬ 
edge, and as opportunity may offer, guided as to 
time, however, and lead on by the chairman. 
