Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-01-08
'Prepared y the united states Depart

prepared by the United States Depart
fBent OF Agricuture)
The length of time ice may be kept
depends upon the character of insula-
ton provided. This will naturally
vary with the location Of the ice house
and the method Of construction. An
other important factor will be the cost
of construction
The simplest type of ice preserva-
ton consists in stacking the cakes in
a compact mass on weli-drained site,
as well protected as possible by nat
ural or artificial barriers from sun
aud wind, and covering the mass with
sawdust, shavings, fodder, marsh hay,
or any other good insulating material.
Such a crude method is not to be rec
commended except as a temporary
makeshift for ice which is to be used
early in the season.
An inexpensive Ice House for North
ern States.
An inexpensive ice house that will
give satisfaction in places where the
temperature approximates that of
New York City and localities to the
north may be constructed as follows:
AS site for the structure choose a
weIl-sheltered location convenient to
the place where the bulk of the Ice
will be used during the season. III
the area is not well drained naturally,
grade the surface so that no surface
water can. ever flow into or through
the building and so that the water
from the melting OF the ice will be
quickly disposed of. In some IN
stances 1t may be necessary to pro-
vide tile drains laid Is or Is inches
below the surface to care for this
water.
Having properly provided against
water. both from without and from
within the ice house, set line OF
squared or fattened poles four feet
apart, SO ar to form a square of the
dimensions desired. The height OF
the poles should be the same as the
length of the side of the square, II
the greatest economy of space ano
the best keeping conditions for the Ice
are desired, |. e., building ID feel
square should be IA feet high. A
house of this size will provide storage
for a cube of ice 11x11x11 feet, which
without allowance for voids, is equiVa
lent to about thirty-eight tons. (A
cubic foot of ice weighs approximate
ly 58 pounds, and one ton OF ice &C
cupies nearly thirty-fiye cubic feet'l IL
complete the ice house, cut the posts tt
n uniform height and nail double TX
inch or 2x6 inch plate on top of them
The sides may be Enclosed by board
ing both inside and outside witt
rough lumber. To give neat outsid'
annearance the outside boards ma!
he planed and ship-lapped, or snip
Ian siding may be placed over thu
rough sheathing. The space between
the two board walls may or may no
be packed with shayings or sawdus'
If hacked. the packing material SHOULD
he nerfectly dry The roof may D.
either a simple even-span one-tnlr'
mitch roof. with the gables boarded VI
or a hip roof
In order that the house may be nile
without unnecessary labor contino
ous door should be provided In IN
middle of one end. The door shoui
as the house is filled, loose planks Q
proper length should be at hand I
Mace across the opening of the doc
10 hold the packing material In plac
as the heap of ice grows in height
The ice must be placed on bed {
zawdust, shavings, OF other paekln
material at least IS inches deep. an
the rick of ice should not approac
the side walls closer than - or ]
inches. the intervening space bein
= f1lled with packing material and tho
oughly rammed.
Masonry ice Houses.
Instead of the cheap, temporary col
struction Just described, ice houses
q permanent nature can be built FRO
brick. stone or concrete. In these,
IN frame-construete houses. the mas
of Ice should approach as closely
possible a cube in form. II the n
sonry house is to BE- used in the san
manner as the temporary house !
inside lining viii be necessary. n
packing used about the mass OF i
may be aIlowed to come In direct co
xacf win the wall. A iS-inch brio
wan or a I2-inch concrete van W
provide the necessary strengsd. II
masonry walls are not as goo no
conductors as timber walls. It !"
therefore be necessary for the EreRe
lion Of the ice to rely on the .aehhi
materia rather than on the wal itse
II the hcuse Is to be used for stoFn