i89i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
789 
Business. 
AN ICE-HOUSE AND DAIRY. 
A Subscriber, West Virginia.—1 want to build an ice¬ 
house and dairy this fall and would like to have some sug¬ 
gestions from The Rural readers as to the best way to 
build it. I want the dairy under the ice, so that I can 
catch the drip to be used in a creamery. 
Ans.— It would probably be cheaper and easier in the end 
to buy a hand separator and thus avoid all pans and 
creamers. In case this is not desired the following hints 
will be useful. 
An Orange County Ice-house. 
All things considered, the best plan for an ice-house is 
one that Hon. W. P. Richardson, of Goshen, Orange 
County, N. Y., has adopted on his place. I advise this in¬ 
quirer to abandon the notion of having the dairy under 
the ice, with an idea of utilizing the drip. It would require 
an expensively framed ice-house to support the great 
weight of the ice, the greater elevation would require more 
labor to store it and the drip from properly stored ice 
would not be very cold by the time it reached the cream¬ 
ery. Mr. Richardson’s ice house embodies a combination 
of ideas most of which he claims are not original with 
him; he has simply used in combination such points as 
seemed to him best, and the result is very satisfactory. I 
give below an outline of the plan, sufficiently definite to 
enable any carpenter to build one. 
Perfect drainage is absolutely necessary. To accom¬ 
plish this, ■ ig a cellar about 2)4 feet below the level of the 
ground. Fill this in with cobble or broken stones. Level 
off and cover with strips of scantling two Inches wide, 
leaving a little space between each one. On top of this 
put eight Inches of sawdust and tanbark. A hill side loca¬ 
tion is best, in order that the drainage may be easily ar¬ 
ranged. On the foundation lay a 6x8 sill; put up 2x8 
studding of the desired height, and cover with rough hem¬ 
lock boards on both sides up to the plate. On the outside 
of the boards put on two inch furring strips up and down, 
and on these nail the siding, leaving it open at the bot¬ 
tom. Fill in the eight inch chamber with sawdust or 
tan bark, which should be thoroughly dried In the sun 
before it is packed. The furring strips make a two-inch 
air space between the boards and siding and, being open 
at the top and bottom, the air circulates freely. When 
the sun is beating hotly against the side, the moving air 
carries the heat to the open top and prevents its absorp¬ 
tion by the tan and inner boards. Overhead lay 2x8 floor 
beams, and on these lay a tongued and grooved floor, 
planed on one side. It must be laid from the inside of the 
plates only, so as not to close the air chamber at the top. 
In it put a couple of ventilators, each about 12 Inches square 
and made with a shaft about 18 inches in length. Spread 
this upper floor with tan or sawdust, about eight Inches 
thick. Put rafters for a false roof on the inside edge of the 
plate, and board them to within 2)4 feet of the peak, leav¬ 
ing the remainder open. Put rafters for the real roof on the 
outside of the plate and raise that point about a foot, so 
as to make a chamber about 18 inches in width between 
the two roofs. Put a ventilator in the roof the whole 
length of the building, in the peak. A vestibule about 3}4 
or four feet square is put in the front, and in this is the 
door. When it is opened^the sun does not shine In. Paint 
the inside of the ice-house with roofing or India-rubber 
paint to keep the boards from absorbing moisture, and 
the work is done. 
Cut your ice so that a given number of cakes will fit 
nicely in the ice-house and pack it snugly directly against 
the boards. No sawdust or tanbark is needed about it, 
it comes out as clean as it goes in. The only handling of 
tan is at the opening, and as this is lowered, the tan is 
thrown on the upper floor or taken outside, as is preferred. 
All washing of the ice is thus obviated, and the annoy¬ 
ance from the dirt of sawdust or tan is avoided. In front 
of the door of Mr. Richardson’s ice-house is a platform 
which goes directly to his dairy house on a little lower 
ground. A slight shove given a cake lands it in the dairy. 
E. G. F. 
The Advice of a Veteran. 
It is impossible to give definite information for the 
reason that the correspondent does not give the size of his 
dairy. It will make a great difference whether the milk 
of 10 or 50 or more cows is to be cared for. He also wants 
“ the dairy under the ice house to catch the drip to be used 
in a creamery.” Now does this mean that the room for 
doing the whole work of the dairy is to be under the ice¬ 
house or merely the creamery where the milk is placed f 
In the one case a large room is required, and in the other 
only a small one. The best plan for placing ice over a 
dairy room or refrigerator is the one used by the Jackson 
Refrigerator Co. of Chicago. The whole drip of the ice is 
collected in a tin trough and can be run wherever it is 
needed. If the ice-house was to be built on the ground it 
could be a very simple affair. The cheapest and shabbiest 
ice houses, as a rule, keep ice better than those that are 
elaborately built. Forty years since I built an ice-house 
and took great pains to have it very tight. Every year in 
August we were out of ice. About 10 years afterward 
I read in an agricultural paper that there should be plenty 
of ventilation over the top of the ice. I immediately cut a 
window in the north and south ends of the ice-house and 
from that day we have always had plenty of ice. A rough 
building 16 feet square built of boards with proper drain¬ 
age at the bottom, will answer every purpose for a dairy 
of 25 cows. Board up on the InsIcTe of the studs with single 
boards, cut the ice so that you will have a space of from 
16 to 18 inches on every side, pack in sawdust or tan 
bark as you fill the ice-house, cover the top with 20 inches 
of the same ; leave a ventilator four feet square in each 
gable end, and your ice will keep without any trouble. Of 
course if the dairy and ice-house are to be combined in 
one building better material and work will be needed. 
Broome Co . N. Y. A. devereux. 
FIGURES OF A FRUIT BUSINESS. 
Five years ago Mr. M. A. Thayer, of Sparta, Wisconsin, 
bought an exhausted and “ abandoned ” farm near that 
place for the purpose of growing small fruits on a large 
scale. At the time of purchasing he promised to give an 
exact account of his venture, showing his failure or success 
as the case may be. The statement now appears as follows, 
and can be depended od as reliable: 
The first year’s planting consists of— 
Blackberries.*. S acres 
Raspberries. 7 “ 
Strawberries . i “ 
Total.17 acres 
The expenses were as follows : 
For plants. 1628.40 
For labor. 960.29 
For miscellaneous. 80.03 
Total.$l,618i78 
No income. Second year—eight acres, new setting added : 
EXPENSES. RECEIPTS.- 
Labor. 
Miscellaneous. 
..$1,521.96 
941.28 
Strawberries. 
Raspberries. 
Blackberries . 
Farm produce. 
...$218.48 
... 152.00 
.... 366.20 
.... 189.10 
Total.$2,462.24 Total. 
Total expense over income, #l,o86.02. 
Third year, 10 acres new setting added : 
...#926.22 
EXPENSES. 
Labor. 
Picking. 
..$2,164.16 
. 394.94 
RECEIPTS. 
Berries. 
..*3,301.21 
Miscellaneous. 
.. 832 86 
Miscellaneous. 
.. 7v2.39 
Total. 
..$3 894 96 
Total. 
.$4,432.45 
Net profit, #1,037.49. 
Fourth year, 10 acres new setting. 
At the beginning of this year permanent improvements 
and additional lands purchased increased the Investment 
above all receipts to $8,821.60, for 117 acres. 
Detailed receipts are made for this year to show the dif¬ 
ference between sales on orders from regular customers 
and those sent to commission houses : 
Receipts. 
STRAWBERRIES. 
On orders.295 cases at $1.75 . 
On orders.475 cases at 1.60. 
On commission.802 cases at 85. 
Total.1,072 “ avg. 1.44. 
BLACK R»8PBKRRIES. 
On orders.272 cases at #1.75. 
On orders.342 cases at 1.60. 
On orders.157 cases at 1 50. 
On orders.32 cases at 1.10. 
On commission.166 cases at 97. 
Total.969 •• avg. 1.50. 
RED RASPBERRIES. 
On orders.121 casts (24 pts)at $1.75... 
On order-. 11'cases •• at 1.50 
Oncommlsslon ....31 cases “ at 1.20.... 
Total.263 cases average 1.58 
BLACKBERRIES. 
On orders. 63 cases (16 qt) at $1.75. 
On orders. 425 cases •• at l.fcO.. 
On orders. l,155cases “ at 150.. 
On orders. loo cases *• at 1.85.’. 
On orders. 129 cases “ at 1.25.. 
On orders . 23 cases *• at 1 00 
Oncommlsslon. 718cases “ at .97.! 
Total.2,616 cases, average $1.36.. 
CURRANTS AND 00O8EBERRIK8. 
On orders.85 cases, average $1.29. 
. $516.00 
. 760.00 
266.70 
,$1,542.70 
$476.00 
547 00 
235.00 
44.80 
161.02 
.$1,464.32 
.#211.37 
. 166.50 
87.20 
$415.07 
. $110.25 
. 684.80 
. 1.732 60 
. 135.00 
. 161.25 
23. (X) 
. 696.46 
.$3,543.26 
,$109.09 
Grand Total for 1 89 1. 
RECEIPTS. 
1,972 cases strawberries, 16 qt, at .. 
,969 cases black raspberries. 16 qt., at... 
263 cases red raspberries. 24 pt , at 
2,616 cases blackberries, 16 qt.,at 
8 > cases gooseberries and currants at. 
..$1.14. 
.. 1.50. 
.. 1.54.... 
.. 1.86 
. 1.28. 
.$1,542.70 
.... 1,464 82 
.... 4(5.07 
. 4,543.26 
. 109 09 
5 005cas sberries, average... 
.. 1 4 V. 
Plants sold. J . 00/oo 
Farm products. 
Total receipts.$8,846.76 
Farm labor. 
EXPENSES. 
Cases and boxes.. . . 
Miscellaneous. 
. 500.00 
Total. 
.... #4,509.00-$4,500.0) 
In reply to The R. N.-Y’s., questions Mr. Thayer gives 
this information regarding his methods of redeeming poor 
and “ abandoned” farms. “ The problem of how to redeem 
exhausted lands Is an Important one, and when correctly 
answered and put into practice many farmers will also be 
redeemed from exhausted pockets. My work has been 
done on sandy loam with a clay subsoil, changing gradu¬ 
ally to clear sand; and my greatest success has been with 
green clover plowed under or used as a mulch, when In 
blossom. With every sowed crop I use clover and plaster, 
commencing with winter rye, following with clover and 
plaster In the spring. When possible I top-dress with 
stable manure spread as fast as made. In case of failure 
of seed to catch the first time, I repeat the operation; when 
successful, the second crop Is plowed under. After the 
first year, one crop is taken off and the land is again seeded 
to clover as before. I have over 50 acres in berries and am 
increasing the fertility of my land every year by nsing 
green clover as a mulch around blackberries and raspber¬ 
ries. It not only adds to the fertility, but prevents weeds 
from growing, keeps the ground moist and the berries 
clean, and assists very much in covering the bushes when 
laid down for winter protection. Another important fac¬ 
tor in restoring exhausted land Is thorough preparation 
and cultivation, by which means moisture is retained, and 
all plant food made available at once. I usually cultivate 
small fruits every week, whether weeds have started or 
not. Especially is cultivation necessary in seasons of 
drought. It is better to do thorough work on a part than 
to half do the whole. To the true agriculturist and horti¬ 
culturist there should be a charm in his work not ex¬ 
ceeded by that of the sculptor, the painter, or the adept in 
any other line of art.” 
Mr. Thayer says that his shipments to commission men 
were only of surplus stock and Saturday pickings. The 
essentials for success in fruit culture are: “ good soil well 
drained, highly fertilized and always well cultivated; a 
limited variety of the best hardy plants, producing large, 
firm, high-colored frnit throughout the season; proper 
mulching, nipping, pruning, thinning of fruit, and winter 
protection; a knowlege of fnngoas and Insect enemies, 
and remedies for the same; neat, uniform packages, well 
made ; frnit carefully picked; well filled boxes, and, above 
all, uniform quality throughout.” 
His advice to beginners is: “ Do only what you can do 
well; nothing but the best will pay. You may safely figure 
that, besides the laud, every acre of good general small 
fruit, properly prepared, planted and brought to a bearing 
age, will cost from $125 to $150 in hard-earned dollars, or 
their equivalent in honest work at $1.25 per day. There 
are many expensive lessons to learn, unless you have some 
one’s good experience to serve you.” 
QUESTIONS ABOUT COLD STORAGE. 
1. Can commission merchants in New York own or hold 
stocks in cold storage houses and canning factories t 2. 
Do they mostly own or hold such stocks? 3. Can the 
owners or proprietors of cold storage houses follow the 
business of commission merchants ? 4. Do they some¬ 
times or generally follow such occupations f 5. Can the 
proprietors of a frnit canning establishment follow the 
business of commission merchant and own or hold stocks 
in cold storage honses—either or both ? 6. Do they mostly 
own such stocks and follow such occnpations ? 7. How 
long can peaches be kept in cold storage ? 8, grapes ; 9, 
plums ; 10, apples ; 11, turkeys ; 12, chickens f 13. Are 
there any members of the Board of Health In New York 
who own or hold stocks In cold storage houses ? or, 14, 
canning factories, or, 15, fruit commission firms ? 16. Do 
any members of the Board of Health belong to any board 
or boards of exchange ? 
Oar horticultural society Is a body of 60 to 70 Intelligent 
agriculturists largely engaged in horticulture. The 
Rural’s answers will be read before the society and the 
paper will get due credit therefor—Information is what 
We want. CHRISTIAN w. GOOD. 
Franklin Co.. Pa. 
Yes, if he has sufficient wealth to pnrchase 
them, or is fortunate enough to have them given to him. 
There is nothing to prevent a person engaged In one kind 
of business from holding an interest in another kind, sim¬ 
ilar to or entirely different from his own, as the case may be, 
any more than there Is to prevent a farmer from holding 
an Interest In a thrashing machine or a hay press. 2. No, 
but a cold storage warehouse is now being constructed In 
this city In which a number of commission men, mostly 
butter dealers, we believe, own stocks. The object Is to 
save the charges they have been paying to the regnlar 
warehouses. Most butter dealers have cold storage of their 
own on a small scale. 3. Yes. 4. Sometimes but not al¬ 
ways In this city. We don’t know the practice In other 
places. 5. Yes; one referred to In an article on page 
757 of a recent Issue of The R. N.-Y., Is the owner of 
a canning factory and a commission house. There is noth¬ 
ing to prevent them from owning cold storage warehouses 
also, but very few canners are commission merchants. 6. 
No, not In this vicinity. 7. About a month. 8. Two 
months or more according to variety and condition. 9. 
From two to four weeks. 10. Six months. 11, 12. Six to 
12 months if frozen. The time during which any fruit 
can be kept In cold storage depends largely upon the con¬ 
dition of the fruit. The variety which would keep well 
outside of cold storage would be better to keep In cold 
storage. There are a great many things to be taken into 
account In answering the last six questions and many ex¬ 
igencies might arise which would tend to change the re¬ 
sult. The cold storage business has been reduced to a 
science and success depends upon a thorough knowledge 
of the business. 13, 14,15. Not so far as we have been able 
to discover, though there may be some who do. 16. The 
President of the New York Board of Health Is President of 
the Consolidated Stock Exchange, but there is not the re¬ 
motest connection between the two. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
The Butter Extractor.— We have a number of ex¬ 
tracts from Swedish papers giving an account of the great 
contest of dairy implements at the late Royal Agricul¬ 
tural Show. A prize was offered for the best “working 
dairy « and this was won by the extractor. Its competi¬ 
tors exhibited a roomful of implements-separators, 
cream pots, vats, churns, etc. The extractor formed a 
“ working dairy » of ltself-taking the butter from the 
milk and that is all any dairy can do. Objections are 
made that this machine can make nothing but sweet but¬ 
ter. This is true, but the makers have thus far found no 
difficulty in disposing of all the sweet cream butter they 
can make. 
Cleveland Bay Horses.—The R. N.-Y. has often re¬ 
ferred to the fact that many bogus Cleveland Bay horses 
are offered for sale. Few other breeds seem to have suf- 
ferred so much at the hands of Irresponsible parties. 
Crosses and grades have been sold as pure Cleveland Bays. 
Buyers of these horses, therefore, cannot be too careful in 
making purchases. Much depends upon the character of 
the dealer. The Cleveland Bay is one of the most valu¬ 
able breeds for crossing on good farm mares. Good grades 
of the breed are always salable. The Cleveland Bay 
Horse Co., of Paw Paw, Michigan, has been importing 
and breeding horses for 10 years, and has been highly suc¬ 
cessful. We believe It will furnish good and pure stock. 
