The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-11-26
A NOVEL IcE-HousE


The Form of House Best Adapted TO the
Preservation of Ice.
The best form for an iee-house would
be that of a globe, because then we
should have the greatest bulk with the
least surface. Such a shaped house.
however, would be announcement and
expensive to construct. The next best
form is a cylinder. Practically, how
ever, an inverted truneated cone will
give all the advantages of the cylindri-
cal form, with the further advantage Of
being more economical in construction
and in keeping in repair. The worst
possible form is a cubical or square ice
house. for the corners of the ice in such
house will always melt away and
leave the mass of ice round. The large
amount of WAGER which penetrates the
ice in such an ice-house makes it
porous. and it rarely happens that
square ice-house, unless very large and
deep, will keep ice throughout the SUM
mer. In our climate ice-houses are
rarely built above ground. The best
way to construct one. for family use
and this is the result of experience and
observation, is TO select northern hill
side or exposure, where there is a good
growth of forest trees. Lay off circle
on the surface of fifteen feet in diameter,
and dig to the depth of fifteen feet,
sloping SO that the diameter of the ex-
cavation at the bottom may be ten feet.
In the bottom of this sink well six
feet deep and five feet in diameter
for the purpose of catching the
water from the melted ice. Over this
well lay slabs of white oak or other hard
wood. with the bark taken off and the
rounded surface turned uppermost.
Poles sixteen feet long and from five to
six inches at the largest ends are set up
against the walls of the iee-house. the
smaller ends being turned downward.
The sfoping sides of the ice-house and
the tapering poles make beautiful nc,
and after the poles are adjusted the
house will resemble a large cE1rn
turned bottom upward. il desired.
few large hoops may be nailed to the
poles above and below. The poles,
however. viii retain their positions
without the hoops. Over the house
square pen or frame work three feet
high shenld be erected and covered
with protecting roof The earts
should be thrown against the sides q
the house until there is slope outward
in every direction. This viii prevent
the roof water from running into the
ice-house. Cutters for carrying oil this
roof water would be better and keep
the earth near the pen from becoming
saturated with water. The ends OF the
superstructure should be weather.
boarded up but Slated windows in botn
ends would be advantageous in per-
hitting the hot air to escape. A large
door shoula be constructed in one end:
50 as to permit the ready housing q
the ice. In putting up ice, the iIrs1
thing to be done is to throw down straw
enough in the bottom to cover the
slabs two or three inches deep, alter 7
is compressed by the weight OF the ice.
Straw must be kept also next to tne
; des, so that II e ice will nowhere colae
In contact vita the wood When me
ice-houses shall have been filled on 2
level with the h,p of the ground, seYerA
wagon loads of straw should be used u
covering it. If the entire roof i .lilea
with straw it will be all the better
though the Ice win keep well if ouiy :
third of the roof is filled.-Bos1o@
Globe.