The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1878-01-31
ICE HOUSES FOR FARMS.

1t seems rather curious for farmers living near
ponds and streams, or where ice may be obtain
ed by hauling even for six or seven miles, that
they should be without ice in the Summer. Not
more singular, however, than the advice we
have lately seen in some journals, whose editors
ought to know better, wherein the advice is Civ
en- that ice houses should be built below ground.
Once, indeed, it was thought to be the only feas
ble way of preserving ice until practice and COM
mon sense taught that its preservation above
ground was not only cheaper, but that the ice
was the more surely preserved. The fact is ice
may be tolerably well kept when simply stacked
up, if in large body, and covered with straw
sufficient to keep away air and rain. The strnc-
ture of an ice house is, however, at once so sim
pie and cheap that this is not at all necessary ;
and any farmer of ordinary mechanical skill, may
build one for himself.
The best and cheapest plan for a farmers ice
house is to select piece of ground that may be
made perfectly level, so that the water from the
melted ice may be quickly carried off. For a
house twelve feet square-large enough for any
farmers family-lay down 3x16 inch plank ;
along the edges of the plank nail securely strips
of hard wood 1x14 inches; against these set 2 by
4 scantling, IL feet long, and at distance apart
of 80 inches, SO the outside and inside scantling
will be equidistant from each other; that is, SO
they will not be opposite. Upon these, again,
at the top, put plate of 1x13 inch plank, tying
the scantling together from top to bottom at in
tervals of about feet, that they may not spread.
Thus you have the walls ready; the space be-
tween the outside and inside walls being about
Is inches. Place the rafters all, giving one
fourth pitch, or in feet. Secure the whole
by temporary ties SO it will not be blown down.
Thus you have the skeleton of the building.
Have ready sufficient amount of tan-bark, or
in lien of that saw-dust, to fill the space be
tween the scantling. Commence boarding mp,
outside and inside, and, as you proceed fill up
with the tan-bark OF saw-dust, settling all firm
So proceed, until you have all finished to the
rafters. Now put on the roof shingles or boards
and the building is finished, except the gables,
in each of which should be placed door, fol
putting in and taking ont ice.
The floor of the house should be covered to a
depth of q foot with broken stone or blocks OF
wood, that will keep the ice from contact with
the ground, and afford free dripping of water be
low. Cut the ice in uniform blocks, 1S or q
inches square is good size for handling. Lay
these compactly in the interior, and close to the
walls on every side. Proceed thus until You
have the house filed to the caves. Cover the
whole with two feet of slough hay well tramp
ed at the sides, and the whole will be found in
tact, IL properly packed, when wanted.
An 8 feet cube of ice will he found sufficient
for an ordinary sized family, to give plenty fol
all cooling purposes. The size we have men
toned will he ample for q moderate sized dairy
and q cnbe of Ia or 16 feet will furnish ice fo
larger dairies.-Prairie Farmer.