672 THE AMERICAN FARMER 



I make the cakes 21| by 27 inches. Twenty cakes of this size will complete one layer nine 

 feet square. The second layer has the cakes placed crosswise of the layer below, and so on to 

 the top. This binds the whole mass together. If the bottom layer is level, and the cakes are 

 of uniform size with square edges, they will fit together nicely, making pounded ice between 

 them unnecessary. 



We find that it is less than a day s work for a man to saw out an abundant supply of ice 

 for an ordinary family. During warm weather, ice will unavoidably melt from the outside of 

 the mass, and if neglected, a vacancy is soon formed between the ice and the sawdust. It is 

 very important that the sawdust be packed down often, thus preventing the admission of 

 warm air. When we commence marking and sawing ice, we find it an advantage to make 

 the headings widest where we commence to saw them. They can then be removed without 

 binding or wedging fast.&quot; 



How to Store Ice. The floor of the ice-house should be covered from six to eight 

 inches with sawdust, and the ice packed in as closely as possible, the cracks between the 

 blocks carefully filled with broken ice, to make the entire mass perfectly solid, always, how 

 ever, leaving a space between the body of ice and wall of the building all around, to be filled 

 compactly with sawdust as the packing continues. This space may be from eight to twelve 

 inches, the wider the better protection from the outside heat. Where the walls are con 

 structed double and filled with sawdust or tan bark, this precaution is sometimes not taken, 

 but we should always recommend the practice, as there is less liability of the ice melting, 

 even in such cases. This is especially necessary where the walls are not lined, as there would 

 then be no protection from the heat of the walls, and the ice would soon all melt. In such 

 cases the packing of sawdust between the ice and walls should not be less than a foot in 

 width. Care should be used that no spaces be left open for the air. When the house is well 

 filled, cover the whole mass of ice with two or three feet of sawdust, and keep the building 

 closed as tight as possible, except the ventilators at the top of the structure. 



The ice for packing should be solid and clear, and the storing done in dry, cold weather, 

 that the whole mass may become thoroughly congealed and perfectly solid. It is well to 

 have a refrigerator, or other means of preserving large pieces as they are taken out of the 

 ice-house, in order to obviate the necessity of admitting the warm outside air to the interior 

 of the building by opening it oftener than is absolutely essential. The best time for doing 

 this is in the evening, or very early in the morning, when the air is coolest. A s the ice in the 

 building melts it will become uncovered in places, unless care is taken to keep a good supply 

 of covering added, as it is occasionally removed. Therefore a sufficient amount of sawdust 

 for this purpose should be kept on hand, and care taken to keep the ice well covered. As 

 the ice is taken out from time to time, or has settled away, the sawdust should be packed 

 down at the sides, and kept as compact as possible. 



Keeping Ice Without Ice- Houses. Ice may be kept very successfully without an 

 ice-house, where only a small quantity is needed. A small room may be done off in a wagon- 

 house, or other building, or in a clean basement in the barn, where ice may be stored by 

 having a sufficient amount of suitable covering. A large bin with double walls, filled with 

 sawdust or tan bark, and a few holes in the bottom to admit of drainage, will answer the 

 purpose very well. But it must be remembered that in packing the ice under such circum 

 stances the same rules should be observed as in packing in ice-houses, except more outside 

 covering will be required to exclude the air. For this purpose straw and hay are used very 

 successfully. The American Agriculturist gives the following method of stacking ice, which 

 may prove of benefit to those who have no ice-house: 



&quot; If one has an abundance of ice, but no ice-house, and has straw in plenty, it may be 

 worth while to stack up a lot, though it can hardly be expected to last all summer. The ice- 



