Huntsville gazette., 1882-09-23
Care Of Cellars.

Of such Importance are cellars, that
the loss which occurs in them yearly
may be reckoned by millions. Compare
lively few housekeepers know how to
manage cellar. 1t is not enough to
lack is in not knowing how to control
the temperature. The cooler it is in
summer, the better, and the cooler in
winter also, short of frost. The next
thing to be sought is the uniformity of
temperature, not merely to avoid great
warmth or frost, but the effect from a
change of temperature, which so few un-
derstand. How many cellars do we find
that are uniformly cool throughout the
summer? The reason is, air is allowed
freely to enter, and the warmer the
weather the more air is invited, keeping
up the putrefaction, and making the Gel
lar the foul, disease-engendering place
it. it.
There is a simple remedy-merely
keep the windows open by night when
the air is cool, and closed by day when
warm. This last is not so important if
there is no wind, as the cold air in the
cellar, being heavier than warm air,
maintains its place, and can only be re-
moved by current. But the safe way
is to close in the morning. This will
keep in the cool, fresh air during the day,
little raised in temperature, just sutii-
cient for the cooler outside air of the sue
ceeding night to remove and replace with
fresh. AS the cellar is not inhabited,
the usual carbonic acid gas from respira-
ton is not present; and if the material
to be kept is fresh and sound when adj
mitted, little danger from this source
need be apprehended in a reasonable
time. Thus the cellar, properly managed,
becomes a sort of refrigerator that you
can trust and feel safe about-at times,
when the nights are warm, for days,
without the admission of fresh
air; and this is sometimes re-
quired; when exceptionally warm
weather occurs-hot during the day and
warm at night, with sometimes consider
able wind. If now the windows are kept
open, few days will so warm the cellar
that it is all but impossible to restore it
to its former cool condition
| The most successful way is to begin
adjusting the window early in the season,
when the weather becomes mild, and al
low no change of temperature to get the
better of you. Keep as cold as possible,
without touching frost. A double foun-
dation wall of the dwelling, with space
between for dead air, is help in keep
ing out heat and frost, and avoids the
necessity of banking the house. So are
double sashes instead of single glass in
the windows, forming a dead air cham
Der. Of course the windows are to be
well fitted in, 50 as to exclude the air.
If there is an outside door, treat it SINH
larly, and use it as little as possible dur
| ing the heat of the day, especially if
there is air stirring. The warmth that
comes through the floor of the rooms
above has but little effect, as the air be-
low, remains where it. enters, and is the
first to pass out with the opening of the
windows in the evening.
| In such cellar decay makes slow pro-
gress, so that with the renewal of fresh
air no apartment in the dwelling has
purer air. Things are kept sweet and
Wholesome, and the great loss from spoil
ing is avoided. The cost to secure this
is but trife. There are numerous eel
| lars that, with little outlay, can be-
made not only secure and profitable, but
healthy. Any time is good time to do
J it-early in spring the best, as then the
cellar can be thoroughly cooled and keptso.
But it pays to do it now Securing the
windows alone, if no other open places
exist, will do much. The cost will be
met by the saving of waste through spoil
ing, the remainder of the season, and an
end will be made of a prolific source of
disease, terminating often in death, par
| ticularly to children.-Cor Country
| Gentleman.