Sec. 15.] CELLARS, CHIMNEYS AND ICE-HOCSES. 291 



will ever after tliink that they cannot live quite comfortably without 

 one. 



We have often witnessed in good farm-houses the necessity of a supply of 

 ice, in the character of the butter placed upon the table — even among tli(»BC 

 who know how to make good butter, we tind a quality far inferior to tlie 

 samjiles made where there are cool spring houses or an abundant supply of 

 ice. We give a few other reasons in favor of every farmer's having an 

 ice-house, and wo beg farmers to read and consider them well, and then we 

 will tell them how to build one. 



313. Reasons why Farmers should have Ice-llouses. — It is August ; hot, 

 faint and exhausted, the farmer conies from the field so thirsty that he 

 cannot satisfy himself with water from a well so shallow that the burning 

 rays of the sun have reached the surface and penetrated into the water, 

 warming it almost hot enough for dish-water. Some draw their water 

 from springs, and others from cisterns. It is only here and there that 

 we find a spring that comes gushing to the surface, or that feeds a deep well 

 with water, cool enough to satisfy tlie over-heated, thirsty harvester. How 

 refreshing such water is, not only to drink, but to lave the face and hands 

 and breast, before sitting down to a meal, or lying down to repose to recupe- 

 rate tired nature. We have no doubt that the laving is far better than the 

 drinking, and it should always be the first step taken to quench thirst. 



Again, how refreshing is a cool drink with the lunch in the field, but how 

 difficult to have it there, at only half a mile from the coldest spring or well. 

 How easy it would be if there was an iee-house on the farm. A ]>iecc 

 that could be carried in one hand, wrapped in a blanket, would be large 

 enousrh to cool the drink of a dozen men all the forenoon, and it would 

 invigorate them more than a bottle of rnm. Ice, taken in moderate quan- 

 tity, is a tonic, and serves to keep the system in such healthy condition, that 

 food gives it more strength. Simply, then, upon economic principles, every 

 farmer should have an ice-house. A humane man should have an ice-house. 

 It adds to the health and comfort of his summer laborers. Let him think of 

 it now — think of it in August, think of it while sighing. Oh, for a cool 

 drink ! Oil, fur a cup of ice-water ! 



The stingy man, the veriest old hunks, who is never quite satisfied with 

 the amount of labor that he gets out of his workmen in tiie harvest-field, 

 should have an ice-house ; it will enalde him to get more work out of them. 

 Now is the very time to tiiiiik of this; particularly in the heat of the har- 

 vest-field. 



The man that knows that fresh meat is not only more palatable in the 

 heat of Summer, but that tlierc is a positive economy in feeding his family 

 and extra laltorers upon sweet grass-fed beef and mutton, and upon cold milk 

 and sweet, hard butter ; and that a man who does feed Iiis day-laborers so can 

 always get better men and more work for his money than his neighbor who 

 lives upon salt junk and rum, will have an ice-house; and if he has not got 

 one he will make up his mind, before the present Summer is over, that as 



