News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-02-07
Construction of an Ice-HOuse.

Ice is not only luxury but a neces-
sity on farms where much milk is ham
died. Ice in the dairy is indispensable
for holding milk at proper tempera-
ture and for the use of working and
keeping butter. Farmers who have ex-
perienced the convenience and comfort
of an ample supply of ice in summer for
household and dairy purposes, give as
surance that the gain in prices obtained
for their products by the use of ice, and
losses prevented in preserving meats,
fruits, etc., pays with a good interest the
expenditure of money and labor in the
erection and filling of the ice house.
Ice-houses may be very cheap and
simple affairs, or they may be costly and
elaborate. There are some general
principles to be observed in the proper
construction of any kind of ice-house,
and all else is of secondary Importance.
There must be perfect drainage and no
admission of air beneath, ample ventila-
tion and perfect dryness above, and suf-
fcient non conducting material for pack
ing below, above and around the ice by
which its low temperature may be pre-
served.
Ice ought to be cut with a saw into
blocks of regular size, so that they will
pack INTO the, ice-house solidly and with
out having any spaces between them.
When cut in this manner thine blocks
will keep well, but a thickness of as
many as six inches is preferable. Ice
should be cut and packed in dry, freez-
ing weather, and, as it is packed, if a
pailful of water be dashed over each
layer it will fill the spaces between the
blocks and exclude the air. Previous to
filling the ice-house it is good plan to
throw it open for two or three days, pro-
vided the weather is crisp and cold.
The house should be finally closed dur
ing dry, cold weather.
As has been said, the plans for build
ing ice-houses differ widely in various
sections of the country, and each farmer
can select such plan as is suited to his
special wants and financial ability. Ex-
cellent results are obtained from ice
houses built entirely above ground, those
half below and those completely buried
with the exception of the roof. Some
times their houses are built with double
walls, with the space filled with sand or
sawdust; again, solid brick wall of
brick or masonry is used, and sometimes
there are two walls, each only single
brick thick, with an intervening air
space.
The best packing material consists of
sawdust, peat tan, charcoal powder, and
oat, wheat or buckwheat chaff or marsh
hay.
When the soil is gravelly and porous,
an ice-house may be more cheaply built
partly underground than one wholly
above ground. There must, however
be perfect freedom from surface water
or the house will prove failure.
Occasionally al ice-house is erected il
the barn. The coolest corner of the
barn is set apart for the ice. Where
milk or fruit are the chief products of 6
farm, ice-houses are conveniently made
with cool chamber below it. A hillside
is the most convenient position for such
an house. The method of construction
is the same as for any other ice-house
except the floor, which is made not only
water-tight but air-tight.
Those not having access to lakes, nat
ural ponds or rivers, can easily make an
artificial pond large enough to furnish
ice for small ice-house. Almost every
farm will admit of large peep pond
which, with occasional dredging during
the dry season, will provide plenty o.
pure water and clean clear ice in the
winter.