ICE SUPPLY 



THE KIND OF ICE HOUSE TO BUILD 



There are three general types of ice houses: (i) those 

 built entirely above ground; (2) those built partly above 

 and partly below ground; (3) and those of the cave type 

 built entirely below ground. Of the three types, the struc- 

 ture built entirely above ground is usually to be preferred. 

 It can be built more cheaply, insulation and drainage are 

 better and the ice is easier to remove. The other two types 

 of houses possess some slight advantages at the time of rill- 

 ing, but excavations are expensive. They are also hard to 

 drain and it is more difficult to remove the ice. The tem- 

 perature of the earth varies less than that of the air, but the 

 temperature of the ground a few feet below the surface re- 

 mains at a constant temperature throughout the year. It 

 therefore becomes quite as necessary to protect the ice 

 against the heat of the earth as that of the air. 



The type built entirely above ground might be sub- 

 divided into (i) the house for storage only, and (2) the com- 

 bined ice-house and cold storage room. The combined type 

 has the advantage that the ice does not have to be handled 

 after it is stored, but it is more wasteful of ice, as there is no 

 way of saving the supply when only a small amount of re- 

 frigeration is needed. 



THE SIZE TO BUILD. 



The size of the ice-house will depend largely upon the 

 quantity to be stored, the way in which the farm produce is 

 marketed, and the amount of money which can be invested 

 in the house. If the supply of ice is cheap and plentiful a 

 larger but cheaper type of house can be built and more ice 

 allowed to waste. Where ice is scarce it is advisable to build 

 a better house which will waste less ice and require a less 

 storage capacity. The best practice is to build a permanent 

 and well insulated house, for the increased cost is largely off- 

 set in the saving of ice as well as in the smaller size of house. 



From three to five tons of ice for the season will usually 

 be sufficient for household use. On a dairy farm it is cus- 

 tomary to allow 1,000 Ibs. storage capacity per cow where 

 only the cream is cooled, and two or three times this amount 

 if the whole milk is cooled. 



Ice weighs 57 pounds per cubic foot, or 35 cubic feet 

 weigh one ton, but as ordinarily stored it requires from 40 to 



Seven 



