The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-11-05

|, Prepared by the United States Depart
nent Of Agriculture)
me dairy division of the Unite,
states department OF agriculture ha
been investigating the different type
OF icehouses In use by dairymen. ans
mas studied the advantages of eaci
type. Only small number of tn,
icehouses examined by the depart
ment's 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. OF
under the driveway leading to the
Darn, and occasionally 1t was simply
stacked outdoors with no roof for pro-
section. 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 a small
item, dairymen often say that 1t is
less expensive to store in such places
imam to go to the expense of building
an up-to-date icehouse Where ice ia
stacked outdoors and covered with
some form of insulation, 1t is neces-
sary to put up from 30 to so per cent.
more than the amount previously al
lowed. SO as to provide for the heavy
shrinkage.
me 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 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
Tree use Of ice. 1t is highly impor-
tant that the milk room, whether COM
bined with the icehouse or standing
alone, be located SO that obiection-
able odors will be avoided.
In comparing the different methods
OF storing Ice, 1t was found that where
the cost OF ice was comparatively
high 1t 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
IL appeared that the owners were often
]ustined In building cheaper stor-
age with relatively high loss Of ice
from meltage. The dairyman there
tore should consider both the cost
Of construction and the cost of the
ICE in selecting the type most suita.
Die for his requirements.
Some farmers store their ice in
constructed bins. One of this !
sort was seen, made by placing large
POSTS or irregular sizes three feet in
he ground and about four feet apart q
md upon these were nailed miscella-
leous lot of boards; no roof was pro-
'ided. The shrinkage was reported
rom 80 to 30 per cent. Ice might be Q
tored In this manner for some pur-
'oses, but this method is not recon.
nended for dairy farm. Further
more a bin of this sort is very un.
lightly and is an indication of slack n,
Methods in farming. Where ice is a
heap and building material high. it 4,
light be permissible as a temporary :,
arrangement; but it is not SO eco n
omicai a method as may appear at w
rst sight, for the cost of the ice IT
'st In the shrinkage would generally sr
mount to more than the interest ON =,
le cost or constructing a seryiceable nc
-
An instance was observed In which =.
corner OF a woodshed, about twelve n
'et square and ten feet high, had
cen converted into an ice shed. This 60
orner OF the woodshed had been 4,
,ughly boarded up and about IA IN
ches OF sawdust placed around the m
9 on all sides, top. and bottom The ti1
'st OF the building was very little. nm
I'd the shrinkage was reported at M,
'out 20 per cent, The owner stated rr
at softwood sawdust is a much bet. g.
n insulation than hardwood saw N,
lst. IN
The icehouse in the illustration
easures is by 20 feet on the out
de and feet high. At the front
south end room is by N,
ct is partitioned OFF and used for a ar,
ilk room. The remaining space. inf
by IA feet by feet high, after ar,
lowing for 6 inches of wall. - ho
ches of sawdust on the sides. - mr.,
ches on the bottom, and Is inches tre
the top. will provide space Tor far
out ~ tons of ice. This house is
lit on high. sloping ground, where
soil is porous, consequently the Z
ainage is satisfactory. The founda. mo
N is made of concrete mixture l NV,
%, ~ feet wide at the bottom and ua,
'ping gradually until the top meas. frs
es inches. The stills which rest fiji
the oundation are nv ,nch.r a. A..