276 



RURAL ARCHITECTURE. 



the vault of which will measure about twelve to fourteen feet " in 

 the clear," every way, will be quite large enough, if properly con- 

 structed. An ice-house, the vault of which is a cube of twelve feet, 

 will hold about fifty tons of ice. One of this size, near Boston, filled 

 last January, is still half full of ice, after supplying the wants of a 

 family all the season. 



In the ice-house above 

 ground, the opening being 

 in the side, it will be best 

 to have a double door, one 

 in each partition, opposite 

 each other. The outer one 

 may be entire, but the in- 

 ner one should be in two 

 or three parts. The upper 

 part may be opened first, 

 so that only so much of 

 the ice may be exposed at 

 once, as is necessary to 

 reach the topmost layers. 



An ice-house below 

 ground is so inconspicuous 

 on object, that it is easily 

 kept out of sight, and little 

 or no regard may be paid to its exterior appearance. On the con- 

 trary, an ice-house above ground is a building of sufficient size to 

 attract the eye, and in many country residences, therefore, it will be 

 desirable to give its exterior a neat or tasteful air. 



It will frequently be found, however, that an ice-house above 

 ground may be very conveniently constructed under the same roof 

 as the wood-house, tool-house, or some other necessary out-building, 

 following all the necessary details just laid down, and continuing 

 one roof and the same kind of exterior over the whole building. 



In places of a more ornamental character, where it is desirable 

 to place the elevated ice-house at no great distance from the dwell- 

 ing, it should, of course, take something of an ornamental or pictu- 

 resque character. 



Fig. 6. Double Door of the Ice-house. 



