The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-02-11
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
Ice and Ice Houses.

THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Ice and Ice Houses.
Ice, says a contributor to the New
York Times, is an absolute necessity in
the dairy during the summer season.
Butter Of first quality cannot be made
without it, except in rare instances where
very cold spring can be brought into
use. In the household, if it is not q
necessity. it is luxury of more than
common value. In every house it may
be a comfort, and in those where some
refinement cf civilization exists it is a
necessity. Where ice has once been
used, either in the dairy or the house.
hold, it's use will rarely after~ard be
dropped. In the country it may be pro-
cured for very small cost, and those
who have as vet never enjoyed the ad-
vantage sf plentiful supply ought not
to neglect the immediate preparation OF
an an ice house and the early procuring
of stock Of ice.
The ice house is matter Of the great
est simplicity. The chief requisites are
perfectly close bottom or foundation,
having, however, at the same time, good
drainage for the waste water, sufficient
thickness of non-conducting material
such as sawdust, spent tanbark, charcoal
dust, chaff or chopped straw-beneath
around, and upon the ice, to protect 1t
from contact with the air, and tight
roof above to shed rain, but open at the
gables to admit Of ventilation. II these
prime needs are secured, the toughest
structure will be as effective as the coslli-
est and most ornate. Many costly ice
houses have failed to preserve the ice,
while rough board structure in the cor
ner of barn has kept it perfectly from
season to season. To make cheap and
useful ice.house one may follow these d.
rections: Upon gravelly knoll foun'
dation two feet deep may be excavated.
If the soil is clay the excavation should
be four feet deep, and two feet be filled
with broken stone. coarse-sifted ashes,
gravel or sand. A plain DOLLHOUSE of
boards is built around the excavation.
with double walls, SO that one wall is car
ried UP from the bottom of the excava.
ton, and the other at least eight inches
outside Of it. The studs Of this build
ing should be of two by eight inch scant.
ling. A house ten by twelve feet, and
ieght feet high, will hold twelve tons OF
ice, and one such house would
bel sufficient to furnish four
families with eighty pounds Of
ice each every day Tor four months. Here
is a favorable opportunity for neighbors
to Join forces and divide the expense o.
building and filling house, as small
: one would be amply large enough to sup
ply the needs Of several. The doors o
the house should be double; the inner
: door should be of pieces Of board placed
), crosswise, so that they may be taker
down as the ice and packing arc reduced
g by removal. The space between the way
; should be filled with dry sawdust or AM
y Of the other materials we have mention
/ cd. A roof of double boards or shingles
y and with broad caves, covers the house
= An opening in each gable end is left to al
e low perfect freedom Of ventilation. All
= currents above the ice help to preserve II
Is but beneath 1t they cause it to melt YER
]" quickly. A ditch is dug around tn
y house, the earth from which is thrown u
@ as bank against it. In the spring, no
! roots or creeping vines may be planted j
e the bank, forming a useful shade to tn
y house, and an agreeable and slightly co,
q, ering. The building should be tight
! battened, within and without, to make
m perfect, although this is not necessary,
IN the packing is Of the best material an
:, we'll beaten down.
- The ice should be cut in blocks Of equ
us size twelve by sixteen inches is col
: 81 yenient form, and eight Of these blpcl
y. ach way Of the house, or sixty-forr
- all. viii cover the floor surface, leaving
- space Of one foot all around the ice, whit
- is filled with ice or other packing. Tn
- packing is firmly trampled down as Il
~ ice is packed; packing two feet in dep
=" shsuld be placed in the bottom Of Il
ice beneath the house. This will a
- sorb the leakage from the ice. The j
should be packed very closely, and .
the unavoidable interstices betwcen/ I
blocks should be packed closely wi
be- pounded ice.
Ter A supply Of ice may be put away IN
on barn or shed by boarding up one corn
ed in the manner above described. In I.
'en case, where the ice would not be expos
me to the winds or warmth of the sun, Il
ON care is needed to make everything Gle
he and tight. The bottom, however. m,
rs be alright, and provision must be ma
ere for carrying off the drainage. This
~, best done BY inserting in channel ma
~. in the floor piece Of lead pipe bent in
but form Of m %, which makes IN effect
te- air-trap, but which permits the water
my escape. In this case, too. no roof
han needed, two or three feet Of sawdust o.
nc the ice being sufficient to preserve it.
Ice is best when cut in cold,
weather, and such weather should
chosen for such work and for packin,
ton away in the house. The only tools ne
BY ed for the cutting are an axe to start
chs first cut, and cross-cut saw from VII
the the handle and pocket At one end b
Ear, been removed. Ii farmers will only
der mp enough ice, heir wives and daught
'ons will provide them with ice cream in l
nd vest lime IS repayment in part.
di.
RED
son. Co0eeSning Tia Ear Marks ~ Du'
d. Cows.
v0u TIE Hnm John ghatfuck : noted