The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-11-25

that is between the walls in its place. The
floor boards also need not be of the best
quality, as few cracks or knot holes will
be of use to let out the water that may
come from the ice.
No floor should be laid between the two
walls OF the building, as it is better to
have the filling between the walls ex-
tend to the ground. The tops of the
scantlings of the inside walls may
be cut off at the uniform length of
eight feet, and kept in their places by
plate of the same material nailed on top
of them, and on this the upper floor can
rest The scantlings of the outer walls
can be kept in place by cleats running to
the inner ones, and by spiking the other
on to them. The upper floor should ex-
tend from one outer side to the other
Before this floor is laid or the roof
boarded, the space between the walls
should be filled with some substance that
is bad conductor of heat The hest ma
terial for this purpose, is one that contains
the largest amount of air, inasmuch as the
air is the best non conductor known I'm
doubtedly the best substance to be used
for filling is pulverized charcoal next to
this, we would use saw dust tan bark or
tanners shavings. If saw dust is used
that comes from green wood, it is liable to
ferment and give off heat Saw dust that
has lain some time in the water, as it fire.
quently does below saw mills, is very ex-
cellent for the purpose. Some advocate
putting in the filling wet, but we incline
to the opinion that dry filling is better, as
it holds more air and is not liable to freeze
and cause the walls TO get out of place A
foot or more of the same substance used
between the walls should be placed on the
top floor, after the ice is packed.
A double roof is not needed, as the ma
terial above the floor is a sufficient protec-
ton. A good, tight roof, however, should
be put ON as for other buildings, and it is
best to give it a good pitch and to have
the ewes project down n good distance, so
as to shade the walls and to prevent the
warm ram from striking them. 1t is well
also to have the roof project some distance
over the ends
The worst thing about an ice house to
make are the doors. Some prefer to take
the ice in through a door in one of the
gable ends, and to drop it down through a
trap door in the middle of the upper floor.
But even if there is such an arrangement
as this, there must be place to take the
ice out of. Sometimes double doors are
made, leaving a space for air between
them. Another way is to have uprights
placed in front of the inner wall and
pieces of boards fitted to ply between
them, so that you ionly have to remove
enough of them to take out cake of ice.
In this case the outer door can be shaped
like the door of fire proof safe, and have
it shut against door casing lined with
thick cloth.
Some provision must also be made for
ventilation during the hot weather. If
there is door in one of the gable ends,
that may be left ajar, and if the upper
floor is made of loose boards, there will
probably be Il sufficient change of air to
answer every purpose. 1t is well, how
ever, to have a vcntilator made by means
of a square tube about two inches in di-
ameter running from the space above the
ice to a distance above the roof This
should have roof on it and it is well to
have slide fitting into it, that may be
opened and shut at pleasure.
Before the ice is put in, the floor should
be covered several inches thick with clean
straw. The ice should be free from flakes
and should be cut into cakes of such di-
mansions, that they will exactly fill the
space. If the weather is freezing when
the ice is put in, it is well to ill UP the
| creviccs with small bits of ice and then to
pour on water till the whole is frozen in
one compact mass. After this the house
should be tightly closed till warm weather
| -Prdtrie Farmer