Domestic garbage and trash on farms can be divided into four
classes--(1) waste of plant or animal origin suitable for animal feed,
(2) unpalatable plant or animal waste, (3) combustible trash, and (4)
noncombustible material. The disposal of these wastes is simplified if
the four classes are kept separate.
Trash to be burned should be kept dry. Coffee grounds, tea leaves,
citrus rinds, fish heads, entrails, eggshells, and similar material are
most readily handled if drained and put in paper sacks.
Cans should be placed where they will not collect water and become
breeding places for mosquitoes. Cans will corrode faster if heated
sufficiently to burn off all grease. When the trash accumulates it
should be hauled to some out-of-the-way place, such as a gully, or
buried.
Neat-appearing garbage containers are desirable for kitchen use and
should be small enough to require daily emptying. Large containers
may be placed within easy reach outside the house and screened with a
lattice fence or shrubbery. Substantial containers of rust-resistant
metal will not quickly become an eyesore and a nuisance. Tight covers
should be used to keep out prowling animals and to eliminate the habit
of tossing wastes from the back door. Open or wooden containers are not
recommended.
A good way to protect the garbage pail is to place it in a small pit
that has a manhole frame and a lid that can be raised by foot pedal. A
gravel bottom in the pit will assist in draining water away.
Outdoor receptacles, if emptied and cleaned once a week, generally do
not become foul. Grease, coffee grounds, and other similar materials
that adhere to the sides of containers can be removed by scraping with
a little sand prior to scalding.
Electrically operated units grind garbage and bones and discharge the
material through the kitchen-sink drain. They will not handle tin cans,
glass, and the like. They may be used on farms if the septic tank is
larger than normal and if sufficient water is available for flushing
the drain to prevent clogging.
Garbage to be fed to animals should be preserved as carefully as is
human food. To prevent the spread of trichinosis and other diseases, it
should be cooked before it is fed to hogs. Garbage left uneaten by the
animals should be disposed of by one of the methods described above.
Incineration is the most sanitary method of disposing of farm wastes.
Garbage, however, is not easily burned. Figure 16 shows a type of
incinerator[12] suitable for farm homes. Details of construction for
a brick incinerator are given in figure 17. Brick, stone, concrete,
or other fire-resistant material may be used. Commercial incinerators,
some of which are designed to be built into the house, also are
available, although these cost considerably more than the home-made
type shown.
[12] Blueprints of this design may be obtained from the extension
agricultural engineers at most of the State colleges.
A limited quantity of refuse may be burned in a kitchen range or a
furnace, but it may cause accumulations of grease in the flue and
require frequent cleaning to prevent fire.
Next to burning, burial is the most desirable method of waste disposal.
Waste material may be deposited in a trench 3 or 4 feet wide, 7 or 8
feet long, and 4 or 5 feet deep and covered with earth when filled to
within 18 inches of the top. If there is no fire hazard, the contents
of the trench may be burned.
Garbage may be included in a compost heap with leaves, peat, manure,
and similar materials. The compost pile should be in an inconspicuous
place, built up to the desired height with materials that will rot,
and then covered with 2 or 3 inches of earth. The top should be
level and the sides steep sloping. It is necessary that the material
being composted be kept moist; otherwise it will not rot. Frequently
commercial fertilizer is added to increase the fertilizing value of the
compost.
Ashes and clinkers removed from furnaces should be placed in metal
containers to eliminate fire hazard. Wood ashes may be spread on the
lawn or garden, as they have some fertilizing value.
[Illustration: Figure 16.--A satisfactory incinerator for household
use.]
[Illustration: Figure 17.--Details of construction of the household
incinerator pictured in figure 16.]
Trash burners of various designs suitable for burning small quantities
of paper and rags are available or may be improvised. The main
requirements are provision for adequate draft and for preventing the
escape of burning paper or live embers.