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MESSRS. EDITORS—I want to construct immediately a small ice fixture in my cellar foi family use. My cellar is 44 by 40 feet, and 8 feet high ; the wall is split granite, with a plank flooring; it is pretty dry. I would prefer placing it in the north corner. Here is my plan:—I would first line off upon the cellar corner floor 8 feet square ; within this space stud up a room 6 feet 2 inches, with 4 inch joist and board up upon the inside. Thi room is then 6 feet square and 8 high which is to receive the ice ; pitch this room all round upon the outside to keep moisture from getting in or out, then board up upon the studs which leaves a 4 inch space all round between studsj; t]i"t stnd up again on two sides, and plank up, tie other two being formed by the stone wall), 15 inches from the inner studding. This 16 inches of space all round to be filled with dry saw-dust (perhaps wet saw-dust would do as well.) For convenient ingress to this fixture, I purpose to fit in, near the bottom, a box or case about 7 feet long, one foot deep, and 2 wide, to extend from the outside through the ice room ; the ice is to be lowered in from the top and packed in and around this pitched case, which has double doors lined with cloth ; in this case is to be a provision chest to move in and out easily upon rollers; this chest is to be in separate apartments, for the reception of fruit, butter, meats, &c. But instead of this horizontal case and chest, I could insert them in a vertical position under the hatchway at less expense, although it would be more inconvenient in getting the chest in and out; then again I should not have so compact a body of ice. What do you think of it? Will it answer? Is the horizontal or the vertical way best? Am I right in leaving the 4 inches air space ? Should the saw-dust be wet or dry? Will moving the provision chest in and out once or twice a day melt away the ice too fast ? C. J. F. North Lincoln, Me., 1853. [This plan of an ice house we consider is an excellent one ; the saw-dust should be dry. The air space is a good idea, and we would prefer the horizontal drawer. There should be some allowance below for drainage.
