St. Landry democrat., 1880-02-14
FARM TOPICS.
LIGHTHOUSES AND HOW TO MANAGE {
THEM.

ICE-HOUsEs AND HOW TO MANAGE
Too much style and cost have deferred
many a farmer from the luxury of an
ice-house. As a rule, the more style and
cost the less it is adapted to the pur-
pose. The popular notion of such a
building is to have it almost alright to
keep out the heat, whereas a large
amount Of air is necessary to prevent
dampness. The drier the air can be
kept, the better. There should always
be free circulation orer the ice, and to
insure this, there should always be two
open spaces on two sides of the top,
from one to two feet square, according
to the size u the building. The outer
walls at the bottom should be tight, SO
as to exclude the hot air, but the founda-
ton on which the ice is placed should
be loose enough to admit of perfect
drainage. This can be done by filling
in the bottom with about a foot of loose
stones, on which scantling can be laid,
with a flooring of boards upon them.
The water from the melting ice will
freely percolate through the boards and
stones, and soak into the ground below.
tom is above or below ground, but the
outer walls must be tight, and the bed
under the ice so arranged that water
will not accumulate. A foot and a half
of sawdust is good bed upon which to
place the ice. Straw is not so good,
because it is apt to fement and melt the
ice. The packing of ice, and the saw
dust covering, causes it to keep, more,
even, than the house itself: hence saw
dust should be thoroughly packed in
around the sides, not less than foot
thick, and on the top full two feet, after
being well trodden. The ice should be
cut in regular blocks, and carefully
fitted with finely broken pieces crowded
into the spaces. The nearer the con-
tents can be made into solid mass, the
more satisfactory will be the result.
For this reasonice will keep better when
stored in very cold weather 1t is not
necessary that the building should be
double-lined, or that the Innings should
be filled in with sawdust, tan-bark, or
straw. In fact, a portion of a shed,
opening to the north, may be used, by
first piling up the ice, and then enclos-
ing the mass with Il wall Of boards, we'll
filled in, and covered with sawdust; or
the ice may be piled on the north side
of any building, with posts set up, to
which boards may be nailed for the
outer walls and roof. Such an ice-house
any body can afford, as it will cost but
a few dollars, while it will keep ice per-,
fectly. If a building of some sort is re-
quired, plain one costing about $40
will answer the purpose much better
than an elaborate and more expensive
affair. A small amount of ice will not
keep as we'll as a large quantity, and
six two-horse loads is about the mini
mum quantity that should be stored for
the family use. As the farmer can do
the whole work himself, there is no
reason why any farm should be deprived
of this luxury to the house, and almost
necessity for the profitable manipulation
of milk and cream. Ice may be gath
cred with rude tools; the ordinary
farmer has every thing, unless it be two
hooks to handle the cakes. These a
common blacksmith can make out of
q piece of round iron. The cross-cut
saw, with one handle removed, will cut
the ice. A full set of ice tools will cost
$25, and would do for neighborhood
They would make the work handler,
but are not necessity. F. D. Curtis,
in Farm and Home.