The Ronan pioneer., 1917-11-09

1t is not very difficult or ex-
pensive task in Montana to store a
sufficient supply of ice for the use
of the average family or take care
of the needs of the dairy. AS a -e-
suit there are very many farms, on
which it will not pay to have an ice
house or some building devoted to
it's storage.
Before building an ice house the
approximate amount to be stored
should be determined. The quantity
needed depends largely upon local
conditions. If the ice is to be used
10 cool cream in a covered tank con-
tanning water and ice, one-half a
ton of ice to each COW will ordi-
narily be sufficient for the season,
while if the whole milk is to be cool
ed, one and one-half to two tons will
be required. The person having one
or two cows will use larger amount
per COW than the one having a larger
herd.
In addition to the necessary
amount of ice for the dairy, each
family will want supply for the ice
box or refrigerator, for ices and 9TH
er culinary purposes. For such uses
from one-half to two tons season
will be sufficient
Insulation is Important,
The degree of success to be attain
ed in the preservation of ice in stor-
age depends upon the degree of in
sulation in the storage space. If it
were possible to secure perfect in
sulation, ice could be preserved in
definitely. The insulation protects
the ice from the heat of the outside
air and can be secured through some
medium such as mill shavings, chaff,
straw, or, especially prepared ma
terials. The best insulators seem to
be those having the largest amount
of entrapped air in the smallest
spaces.
Ice should be packed solidly with
no air spaces as currents of air cir
culating through the ice will melt it
rapidly. Air should also be pre-
vented from circulating around the
ice. Even when removing the ice the
est length of time.
Good drainage must be provided as
standing water will interfere with the
insulation. Sometimes it is found
necessary to construct a tile drain,
in which event it should have a trap
so as to prevent the circulation of
air. The floor should slope toward
the center for two reasons-to carry
the water to the tile and to prevent
the ice from falling against the
walls of the ice house.
Air Near Ceiling.
The ceiling should slope toward
the center and be provided at that
point with a ventilator which can be
controlled at will. While the air
should not be allowed to circulate in
the ice room, provision should be
made for it to enter through the out
err walls under the caves and to cir
culate under the roof above the CELL
ing as this tends to prevent heat radi-
alton through the roof.
AS water soaked materials are
good heat conductors and more sus-
ceptible to decay, it is important to
water proof ice houses. Lumber in
them can be water proofed by some
of the specially prepared paints or by
impregnation with creosote. Ma
sonry can be water proofed by paint
ing with white lead and oil, or some
patented compound, or by coating
with a preparation of asphalt and
paraffine.
The type of ice house to be built
depends upon the amount of money
to be invested and the cost of secur-
ing the ice. If the ice is easily Sc
cured then it is sometimes better to
store more ice than to go to a greater
expense in the building of expensive
insulation.