Vol.VIL— Nn.27. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



219 



sage ; this is the use of straw between the ice 

 and the sides of the pit, as now connnonly used ; 

 but notwithstanding the waste of ice is abun- 

 dantly greater at tlie bottom, tlian at tlie sides, as 

 we have just seen, yet I have not known similar 

 precautions taken to prevent it. Indeed it is 

 questionable whether the same niateriiil, used in 

 the same way, would answer any valuable pur- 

 pose, because the water that would be continual- 

 ly dripping on it, would, I believe, greatly lessen 

 its power of resisting the passage of heat. There 

 are, however, other nonconducting substances, 

 which I think may be arranged in such a manner 

 as greatly to prevent the loss sustained at the bot- 

 tom of the ice ; therefore, the next consideration 

 is If hat is the most eligible construction for an Ice 

 House ? 



I will not undertake to say I am fully prepared 

 to answer this question ; although I am persuad- 

 ed that the foregoing statement of the principles 

 on which it depends is correct, and the observa- 

 tions founded thereon are corroborated by experi- 

 ment as far as I have bad opportunity of attend- 

 ing thereto. Yet I have no doubt but further 

 exjierience will suggest to intelligent observers, 

 improvements which do not now occur. I will, 

 however, offer a plan the most simjile and cheap 

 that I have yet thought of, consistent with the 

 principles laid down. 



The most favorable situation is a north liill side 

 near the top. On such a site open a pit twelve 

 feet square at top, ten at bottom and eight or 

 nine feet deep : logs may be laid round the top at 

 the beginning, and the earth dug out raised be- 

 hind them so as to make a part of the depth of 

 the pit. A drain should be made at one corner ; 

 the spout to carry off the water sliouki desc^^nd 

 from the pit except a short piece at the outward 

 extremity wliich ought to rise a little by an ob- 

 li()ue angle, the depressed part will always stand 

 full of water and prevent conmiunication witli the 

 external air. Dig holes in the bottom of the pit 

 and set therein four perpendicular corner posts 

 and an intermediate one on each side ; let the in- 

 sides of these posts form a square of eight feet in 

 the middle of the pit. Then in order to avoid 

 dampness from below, cover the bottom three or 

 four mches deep with dry sand, if it can be con- 

 veniently got. The next thing to be done, I con- 

 sider as the most material and also expensive part 

 of the business ; which is fixing a proper floor for 

 the ice to rest on. In order to do this, let three 

 or four sleepers supported at the ends be placed 

 Bcrcss the square included by the posts ; their 

 upper edges about a foot from the bottom, but so 

 that the plank laid thereon may have a descent of 

 ■a few inches towards one of the sides next the 

 drain. The plank should be two inches thick 

 and about half seasoned; jointed, grooved, and 

 tongued, or lathed and grooves cut near the joints 

 in the upper side so as to prevent any water from 

 going through. The floor must extend a little 

 without the inner sides of the posts; so that the 

 water drii)ping from the sides may full on the 

 floor. Then fix a plank, or spout at the lower 

 end of the floor in such a manner as to convey 

 the water into the drain. The floor being com- 

 pleted, begin at the bottom and plank irjj on the 

 insides of the posts with ^ or g plank, lapping tlit; 

 lower edge of each a little on the one below, so 

 that the water may be kept on the inside ; this 

 done to the top of the posts (which would be even 

 with the top of the pit) and the inside will be 



completed ; except that it will be proper to cover 

 the floor with loose plank previous to putting in 

 the ice. The roof may be composed of any ma- 

 terials, and in any form that will defend the con- 

 tents of the pit from wet, from the direct rays of 

 the sun, and also admit a free circulation of air : 

 I do not think any could answer the purpose bet- 

 ter than one made of thatch, supported by posts a 

 few feet from the ground. 



The mode of filling the house remains now to 

 be considered ; and on this much depends. 



Early in the winter fill the interstice between 

 the ice chamber and the bank with clean dry 

 straw closely pressed ; this being done early, will 

 prevent the earth from freezing ; which would be 

 injurious to the sides of the pit. The ice should 

 be collected in the coldest weather ; let it be ex- 

 posed at least one night to the cold atmosphere 

 after it is removed from the water ; which will 

 reduce its temperature many degrees, if the 

 weather is severe. When put into the house, it 

 shoulil lie beat small, and I think it would be use- 

 ful fre(|uently to sprinkle it with a watering jiot 

 whilst putting in ; the mass would by that means 

 be rendered more compact. When the chamber 

 is filled, cover the whole with a good thickness of 

 itraw ; but I should suppose it would be best to 

 cover the ice first with plank, supported by the 

 sides of the chamber, only leaving a door to de- 

 scend through. 



Such a house as has been described will con- 

 tain about ten ton, and I am ])ersuadcd will be 

 found suflicient to afford an ample sup|)ly for al- 

 most any private family. 



This is nearly the kind I had in view when I 

 estimated the expense would not exceed twenty 

 dollars : and if we calculate on a great p.irt of 

 the business being done by the family ; which in 

 the country in general, it very well may : the ac- 

 tual outlay, in many places need not be five dol- 

 lars. Those who are less sparing of ex|iense, if 

 they choose, may wall, or what is better, plank up 

 the sides of the pit ; and finish the roof in a style 

 of elegance. 



In level situations, where a drain cannot be 

 conveniently dug out from the bottom of the pit ; 

 I should suppote it would answer very well to 

 enclose the ice by a mound raised entirely above 

 the surface of the earth, through which the water 

 may be discharged ; in other resiiects to be simi- 

 lar to the foregoing description. This perhaps 

 would not be quite so cool a repository as if un- 

 der the surface of the earth ; unless the mound 

 was very thick ; but I am persuaded that the loss 

 of a few degrees in temperature bears very little 

 proportion to the advantage resulting from dry- 

 ness. 



If it were certain the floor would be perfectly 

 tight, the passage of heat to the ice would be ren- 

 dered still more difficult by confining a quantity 

 of dry ashes, saw-dust, straw or some other non- 

 conductor between the floor and the bottom of 

 the pit. 



[The remarks on Refrigerators will commence 

 next week.] 



In North Carolina, there is a Board of Agricul- 

 ture, established by the Legislature, composed of 

 delegates from the different counties, whose ob- 

 ject is the general improvement of agriculture in 

 that state. This Board held its annual meeting 

 on Tuesday, 23d ult. and amon'g other proceed- 

 ings, resolved to obtain 1000 grape vines, a suffi- 



cient supply of silk worm eggs, and a number of 

 Merino sheep, for the use of the several agricultu- 

 ral societies of the state. The board also publish, 

 annually, a pamphlet containing such articles as 

 they may deem important for the diffusion of infor- 

 mation on the various branches of agriculture. — 

 From a notice in the last Raleigh Register, we in- 

 fer that this pamphlet is now in the jness, and that 

 its contents are unusually interesting. Among other 

 subjects, the best mode of cultivating land, and rais- 

 ing the various kinds of crops, the process of mak- 

 ing wine, and directions for cultivating silk, are 

 mentioned. The objects of this Board are most 

 praiseworthy, and its effects cannot fail to be ben- 

 eficially felt by the people. — Jim. Farmer. 



EGGS. 



A chemist of Geneva states that he has discov- 

 ered an easy mode for preserving for six years, or 

 probably for a longer period, eggs, perfectly fresh 

 and fit to eat ; and a confectioner of the same 

 place, has, this year, employed in his business, a 

 ton of eggs which hud been so preserved. All 

 that is necessary is to put fresh eggs into a bocal 

 (a large round bottle with a short neck) and fill it 

 with lime water. The way to make the lime 

 water is as ftdlows : — Throw into a vessel con- 

 taining between twenty and thirty jiints of water, 

 five or six pounds of quick lime, shake it well sev- 

 eral times, then let the lime precipitate itself, and 

 pour off the water, which is perfectly limpid, al- 

 though it has dissolved a portion of the lime. — 

 This is the water to ,be used. To make sure of 

 its being saturated with the lime, after having fill- 

 ed the bocal containing the eggs until the water is 

 about three inches above them, dust a small quan- 

 tity of quick lime, and close the bocal. 



RAIL ROADS. 



The French are about commencing several im- 

 portant rail roads. One of the most remarkable 

 is that from Andrezieux to Roanne, connecting 

 the Seine and Loire. It is to be 60 miles in 

 length, will cost two millions of dollars, and is ex- 

 pected to be finished in five years. The King 

 was particularly pleased with the project, and was 

 requested to becotne a shareholder or patron, to 

 which he vei-y handsomely consented. Some of 

 his ministers, howevei-, with prejudices worthy of 

 the days of Clovis, persuaded his Majesty that it 

 would be a derogation from his dignity to mix his 

 name thus intimately with the mass of the people ; 

 as if his personal happiness and dignity did not 

 arise entirely from the labors of his subjects. 



At the forty-fourth annual meeting of the Phila- 

 delphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, held 

 at the Chamber of the Society, in the Philosoph- 

 ical Hall, January 20tli, 1829, the following gen- 

 tlemen were elected officers for the present year : 

 President — John Hare Powel. 

 Vice Presidents. 

 James Mease, M. D. I Roberts Vaux, 



Nicholas Biddle, | Williatn Phillips. 



Secre'.an/ and Librarian — William S. Warder. 

 Treasurer — William Mason Walmsley. 

 Committee of Correspondence. 



Zaccheus Collins, 

 James Mease, M. D. 



Jeremiah Warder, 

 Robert Parrish, 



John Vaughan, 

 Robert Hare, M. D. 

 Curators. 



Reuben Haines, 

 Charles Bird. 



