Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-04
agricultural.
A CheaD Ice-HOuSe.

There is one luxury which the majority Of
farmers de- rive themselves Of, which gives
more comfort in comparison to the cost than
is generally supposed and which is at the
same time available to nearly all. | refer e
a supply of ice IN warm weather. To many
dairy farmers this is not only luxury bat
an article of necessity, in order to govern
the temperature Of milk and cream " hen
very cold water is not at hand. But, con
sidered simply as an article of luxury, il
well pays the slight expense necessary to ~
preservation.
Until within a few years it has been
thought necessary to put ice below the sur
face to have it kept well, and the expense Of
fitting an ice-house to correspond with this
theory was considerable, so that comparative
ly few have enjoyed the luxury. But it has
been satisfactorily demonstrated lately that
ice can be kept above ground, the only con
dition necessary being that it is surrounded
on all sides with non-conductor of heat.
and properly covered from rain and sun.
Take any out-of-the-way corner in the
wood-shed or barn, or even an unused morse
stall Partition it off to the desired size,
which viii depend upon the quantity Of ice
to be stored one ks feet, and or feef
high. will contain enough for an ordinary
family Of six to ten persons, unless large
quantity is used in the dairy, in which case
il should be larger. Or it may be convenient
for two or more families to use the same
room. There should be no floor. or if there
is it should be perforated so that all The
moisture will be freely drained off, for some
will melt The ground quickly absorbs the
water, and it is preferable to a floor. 1t i
advisable, but not necessary, to board up on
10th sidrs of the studding and fill IN All
around with saw-dust or spent tan. Put
from one to two feet upon the ground q
q or, put in the ice, which should be cut in
blocks as large as can be laid in the room
leaving the nect ssary space Of II to Is inchee
all around the four sides of the room. b.
careful TO cut the blocks squarely and
smoothly so that it will pack closely. 1t i
quite t. porrant that no large cracks OF
spaces are left. Fill in a cold day with clear
Z" blue rce," if possi BILE Tread the saw-dusl
down firmly around the sides and put on
covering Of about L II feet on top, and you
may count on ice till October LIST, and proba
bly, the year round
A box should be provided, with a false
bottom made Of Stats, in which to keep-vari-
Gus articles, such as pieces Of meat, fish, the
cream-pot, or butter plate. Also shelves can
be put up in the ice-room on which to keep
things cool.
A lump weighing ak or eight pounds in a
pail of water, carried to the field and set ia
a shady place, will give abundance Of ice
water through the dry 1t may be drank
without risk in small quantities at a time,
and being always at hand, extreme thirst il
avoided IL is the heavy draught when one
Is quite thirsty that causes the cOmmotion
with the inner man After one trial Of the
ice-water as ab0ve recommended, beer, milk
and water, and slops Of all kinds, will b
discarded
Ins. net and ingenuity will devise plenty
of ways to use ice not here mentioned, 70
that the ice-room will pay its cost each sea
son and now is the time to prepare it-P
f.. GrorC IN Woodstock Standard.