Dec.'] 



THE CULINARY GARDEN 



263 



air, should open into a porch {g) with tlie three other doors, 

 the spaces between which should be filled with straw, to ex- 

 clude more effectually the heat of the atmosphere. The whole 

 being covered first with a covering of tempered clay, and next 

 with a hill of earth. The appearance will not be disagreeable, 

 as it may be planted with evergreens. 



The exterior may be so decorated, as to become an object 

 of ornament, should it be placed in any part of the dressed 

 grounds. 



The size of the house must depend on the quantity of ice 

 which is wanted ; but we would recommend, that, in making 

 an ice-house, rather to make it too large than too small, as it 

 sometimes happens that neither ice nor snow can be procured 

 to fill it. Instances have occurred, that the London confec- 

 tioners have had to import it from the polar seas. As snow or 

 ice will keep, in a good ice-house, two and sometimes three 

 years, it were advisable to have it large enough, and always 

 to fill it when an opportunity ofl^ers, to guard against a casual 

 scarcity. For an ordinary-sized family, a house about ten 

 feet in diameter, and fifteen feet deep, will be sufficient ; for 

 larger families the house must be larger, or for smaller fami- 

 lies, a well of six feet in diameter, and ten deep, may be 

 sufficient. 



FILLING THE HOUSE. 



When either snow or ice can be got, begin by laying a good 

 coat of straw on the bottom, and up part of the sides ; if snow, 

 throw it in, and let it be well beaten together, and so proceed, 

 until the house be full. If ice, prefer the thinnest (that is, 

 about an inch thick) ; break it as finely as possible, with clubs 

 and mallets at the entrance ; put it also in, and let two or 

 three men be employed in the house, packing and beating it 

 closely together with rammers. As the operation proceeds, 

 sprinkle occasionally a little water over the whole, which will 

 make it freeze together in a solid body. The whole art of 

 keeping ice simply consists in packing it closely, and defending 

 it from the action of atmospheric air. 



The house being full, let the doors be shut up, and the 

 spaces between each packed full of straw. For security, 



