The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-01-18
ICE AND COLD STORAGE.
Plan For n Double Purpose Fruit
md Root House.

Plan For n DOuDfe purpose rTui
md Root House.
On the very practical proposition OF
constructing an icehouSe with coll
storage room for fruit and vegetables,
which will protect from the heat OF
summer and from freezing in winter
Professor l. F. Roberts advises as fol
lows in Country Gentleman:
Construct the icehouse on land which
has some descent. AT one end. where
the ground is lowest. construct either
wooden. stone or brick building. Pave
IL with grout or brick. The walls OF
the cold storage room may be partly Of
stone and partly of wood or entirely Of
wood, as may be most convenient
This cold storage room should have few
openings in it and should be provided
with air shafts next to the ieehouse,
that the cold air from the ice may de-
scend into the storage room. In win
tel tie air shafts can be closed. and II
the storage room is built as it should
be, protected on one side by the ice
house and on the other from sweeping
winds. little danger may be apprehend-
ed from freezing during the winter
During extreme weather it would be
well to have an oil stove ready to raise
the temperature If necessary.
The walls of the cold storage room
may be built as follows unless 1t Is
very large; If so. then the studding de-
scribed should be increased in size:
Cut 2 by 4 studding the length desired
and erect with the fiat side placed the
opposite way from the usual custom.
Upon this studdng tack carefully
heavy tarred building paper Then
erect studdng as before on the outside
of the building paper and unite them
with few spikes to the studs hrst
used. The studs will now be 4 by 4
and may be placed either rs inches or
two feet from center 10 center. On the
outside again cover with tarred build
ing paper and nail upon the studding
hatwise strips by inches. Tack to
these another layer of building paper
and then side or board.
On the inside cover with building pa
per and seal with narrow matched
lumber The joists overhead should
also be covered with paper before the
ceiling is put on. At the gable end OF
the storage room a window should be
provided. which should be kept open
in hot weather. and ventilating tube
should extend Two feet above the peak
of the roof and about one foot into the
attic at the end where the storage room
Joins the icehouse. The object of TINS
provision for ventilation is TO relieve
the attic of hot air in the summer. The
icehouse should have roof ventilation.
for If it does not the hot air next to the
roof is confined, whereas it should have
free escape. \ draft of air under the
peak of an icehouse is very beneficial.
The entrance door to the cold storage
room should be constructed upon the
same general lines as the wall. II
should be double-that is, one hung to
swing in and one hung to swing out
and, If possible. this door should be on
the north side of the building. Care
fully fitted double windows should be
provided. If the summers sun is like
" to make the cold storage room toe
warm, few poles or long posts can be
placed at the side where the sun is
most fierce. Upon these nail Stats and
plant Virginia creeper (Ampelopsis
quinquefolia). In two or three years
this plant may be made to shade tn,
sides and roof Of the building.
Ia4t nn1 ID
artist9p Tackton: "Yes-to his face"