From the american Farmer.


ICE HOUSES.
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JOHN S. SKINNER, Esq


,Sir,- Some inquiries have been made oil you
observe lately, about the proper mode OF construct
ing ice houses, which have given Use TO several
communications from your correspondents on 'he
subiect.-As always feel disposed to add my mite
Of experience to the columns OF your useful Journns
will give you in as few words as possible, the con-
strucon, dimensions and cost OF an ice house which
have on my lot, the chief accommodation OF which
is its chespnrss, and the little mechanical skill me-
cesssry for its construction as mine was built en-
tireiy by the common laborers on my farm.


dug a circular pit seventeen feet deep. the di-
ameter of which is eighteen lee at the surface, and
twelve at the bottom he bottom, which was q
fine yellow sand, made to incline from he sides 10
the centre, and immediately in the centre, which
was the lowest point dug well three ieet square
and four feet deep, in order that the water might
drain off Immediately from the ice. when any thaw-
ing took place. On the bottom Of the pit over the
well, placed four large locus, sll's, and on hem
put floor of locust logs. close together as they
would lie.-l then put down logs end~se sixteen
feet six nches in length. with the small ends down.
wards, until the whole pit was lined round with
logs; at the bottom of the logs where they came in
contact with the floor. and at The top put strong
hoop. (made by splitting long viii oak saplines)
nailed every log, and two similar hoops in the IN
tcrmediae space, in order 10 keep the logs securely
in their places-on the surface over this, erected
lRnt 1907 OF Do9tU as anu iiucu u ou snS ihSidC
with corn stalks, which excellent non -conduc-
tors, and in that sheltered situation will last mary
years. consider the plan Of puttipg the logs down
endwise as much the best, because when they be-
gin to decay. il is but little trouble TO draw one out
at time and replace it with sound one whereas,


in the other plan Of building log pens, if one log
should decay near the bottom, the trouble OF re-
pairing is almost equal to building new one. In
filling my ire house, place thin cove' u green
cedar brush at the bottom, on which the ice Is
thrown and take when getting the Ice, TO have
every large piece struck with the eye OF an axe, so
as to reduce il to pieces of about pound 10 weight


place small quantity Of straw between the ice
and The wall of the house. and when foil cover the
whole with dry, clean oak leaves, which have ound
to preserve the ice much better than straw. During
the sunni er | have dry straw stuffed in between he
walls and the ice, Gas the latter recedes by melting
from the walls,) which is easily done with long
poie.-Ths ice house. which you VIII perceive IS
an inverted frustrum OF cone, contains when full,
about 1900 bushels Of ice, and although three (prl-
vste) families supplied from i constantly, it has
never given OUT