[DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE AND TRASH]
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.