J. HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. 355 



J. HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. 



COMPARATIVE PERIOD OF MELTING OF NATURAL AND 



ARTIFICIAL ICE. 



The idea has been more or less prevalent that artificial ice 

 is more readily melted than natural, and, consequently, that 

 the values of equal weights of the two could not be com- 

 pared, excepting the question of price be taken into the ac- 

 count. We are informed, however, that the French Naviga- 

 tion Company of the Messageries Imperiales^ wishing to test 

 this question in reference to the ice to be used on its vessels 

 in the Indian Ocean, have made experiments, taking one hun- 

 dred kilogrammes of each kind, and exposing to the same 

 temperature under similar conditions. The result is as fol- 

 lows : 



Hour9. 



Natural Swiss ice required for complete melting 107 



Natural Norway ice required 115 



Artificial ice of the Carre machine required 1 30 



Natural ice from Boston required 138 



Artificial ice of the Teilier machine required 144 



If these experiments were conducted with such precautions 

 as> to be reliable, it would seem that, after all, one form of ar- 

 tificial ice lasted longer than any of natural origin. 3 B^ 

 August 4,607. 



ARTIFICIAL ICE IN PACKING FISH. 



As might have been expected, artificial ice machines have 

 been extensively called into play for the manufacture of ice 

 to be used in packing fish. In corroboration of previous 

 statements, it is said to be far more durable than natural ice, 

 the crystals being much more solid, and exhibiting less ten- 

 dency to split into flakes. The estimate has been made that 

 thirty per cent, less of artificial than of natural ice will secure 

 the same preservative effect. One objection to some forms 

 of artificial ice is said to be the opacity of its color ; but an 

 inventor announces his discovery of a method by which per- 

 fectly transparent ice can be obtained, and for its publication 



