COUNTRY MANSIONS. 



371 



In this design, a is the well or 

 cellar for the ice; b, a drain 

 from its bottom, for carrying 

 off such water as may be pro- 

 duced by the gradual thawing 

 of the ice ; c, a trap in this 

 drain to prevent the external 

 air from communicating with rr 

 that of the ice-house ; and d, a 

 leaden pipe from this trap, con- 

 nected with a small pump at e. 

 The object of this pump is to 



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219 



allow of making use, during the heat of summer, of the very cold water pro- 

 duced by the thawing of the ice, either for cooling wines or water ; and in order 

 that there may always be a considerable quantity of the water produced by the 

 melted ice in the trap, it may be made of considerable size, so as to serve as a 

 reservoir or well. This water would be very nearly as cold as the ice, and might 

 be used for all the same purposes ; while it would have the great advantage of 

 being obtainable immediately, whenever it was wanted, and with very little 

 trouble. There are five doors to this ice-house, at/, g, h, i, and k ; and a vacuity 

 (l), one foot wide, between the two walls surrounding the cellar, and covering 

 the inner division of the passage (m). This passage may be fitted up with 

 shelves, as a place for keeping vegetables and various other articles of food 

 (raw or cooked) fresh during summer. The cone containing the ice being 

 supposed to be under ground, the natural level of the surface is shown at 

 n n ; and the whole superstructure may be covered in Britain, to the depth 

 of 2 or 3 feet with earth, planted with ivy and surrounded with trees. In 

 warmer climates the depth of earth ought to be increased to 8 or 10 feet. 

 The size of the well ought also to be enlarged, and there might be even a 

 third vacuity round it. The space between the doors i and k should be filled 

 up by a barley-straw cushion, and it would be well to have similar cushions 

 against the doors g and h, at least during summer. The two recesses, o and 

 p, are here shown only 2 ft. in depth ; but, by making the walls behind them 

 of brick, that depth may be increased at pleasure. It may also be observed, 

 that, in situations where brick is cheaper than stone, all the walls in this 

 design may be built hollow ; and that the side walls of the ice-well need not 

 be more than the width of a brick in thickness, the one wall being tied into 

 the other. It may be further observed, that, if it should be inconvenient to 

 cover the building with earth, a covering of straw or reeds, or even planting 



2 b 2 



