The Spectator. (Ozark, Ark.) 1911-1916, 1915-09-21

The dairy division of the United
States department of agriculture has
been Investigating the different types
of icehouses in use by dairymen, and
has studied the advantages of each
type. Only a small number Of the
icehouses examined by the depart
ments specialists were built of new
lumber.
In many instances ice was stored
in the cellar under the house or barn,
or in the corner of some building. such
as woodshed, corncrib, or barn, or
under the driveway leading to the
barn. and occasionally it was simply
stacked outdoors with no roof for pro-
lection. Where the ice was stored in
cellars, open sheds or in stacks, the
loss from melting was comparatively
large, depending on the ventilation,
drainage and care in packing. Where
the cost of harvesting ice is small
item, dairymen often say that it is
less expensive to store in such places
than to go to the expense of building
an up-to-date icehouse. Where ice is
stacked outdoors and covered with
some form of insulation, it is neces-
sary to put up from 80 to so per cent
more than the amount previously al
lowed, so as to provide for the heavy
shrinkage.
The ice should be stored as near
the milkhouse as possible. in order to
save labor in removing it to the milk
tank. A great many dairymen find it
an advantage to have the milk room
in one end Of the icehouse. In this
way the cost Of a separate farmhouse
is eliminated. The small amount Of
time and labor required to transfer
the ice to the cooling tank generally
acts as an added incentive for the
free use Of ice. It is highly impor-
tant that the milk room, whether COM
bined with the icehouse or standing
alone, be located so that objection
able odors will be avoided.
In comparing the different methods
of storing ice, it was found that where
tho cost of ice was comparatively
high it was advisable to spend enough
money in building and insulating the
icehouse to protect the ice from melt
ing as much as possible, but in cases
where the cost of the ice was small
it appeared that the owners were often
justified in building a cheaper stor-
age with relatively high loss of ice
from meltage. The dairyman there
fore should consider both the cost
Of construction and the cost of the
ice in selecting the type most suita-
BILE for his requirements.
Some farmers store their ice IN
roughly constructed bins. One of this
sort was seen, made by placing large
posts Of irregular sizes three feet in
the ground and about four feet apart,
and upon these were nailed a miscella-
ncous lot of boards; no roof was pro-
vided. The shrinkage was reported
from 80 to so per cent. Ice might be
stored in this manner for some pur-
poses, but this method is not recon-
meuded for dairy farm. Further
more a bin of this sort is very I'M
methods in farming. Where ice is
cheap and building material high, 1t
might be permissible as temporary
arrangement but it is not so eco
nomical a method as may appear at
first sight, for the cost of the ice
lost in the shrinkage would generally
amount to more than the interest on
the cost of constructing a serviceable
icelouse.
An instance was observed in which
corner of a woodshed. about twelve
feet square and ten feet high, had
been converted into an ice shed. This
corner of the woodshed had been
roughly boarded up and about IA
inches OF sawdust placed around the
ice on all sides. top. and bottom. The
cost OF the building was very little.
and the shrinkage>was reported at
about 30 per cent. The owner stated
that softwood sawdust is a much bet
ter insulation than hardwood saw
dust.
The icehouse In the illustration
meas ures 10 by 20 feet on the out
side and feet high. At the front
or south end room 10 by 6
feet is partiticned on and used for
milk room. The remaining space.
10 by IA feet by s feet high. after
allowing for 6 inches OF wall, IL
inches OF sawlust on the sides. 12
inches on the bottom, and is inches
on tho top. viii provide space Tor
about IL tons Of ice. This house is
built on high, sio2ing ground, where
the soil is porous. consequently the
drainage is satisfactory. The founda-
ton il ! ado OF concrete mixture l
10 81, Y l. ct vide at the bottom and
slopipg gradually until the top meas
ures . itChes. rlo siils which rest
lU the .eurd ,tion arc 6 by = inches,