Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-11-27
THE CELLAR.
now to Properly Construct One al ths
Most Usefai Parts OF Farmhouse

farmhouse is used so much as the eel
lar The first thing about the house to
wear out viii be the steps leading from
the kitchen to the cellar. Although 4
thing of such great use and convenience
il may be a-great evil. A damp cellar
always is. as few things can so seriously
affect the health of the family. Un-
wholesome food or drink Is apt to pro-
duce sudden outbreaks which. while in
the aggregate less hurssul. receive more
attention and are more readily noticed;
but the exhalatiOns from n damp cellar
gradually poison the system, resulting
in those insidiOus diseases that lack
striking features but possess deadly en-
ergy- Ii is not that these eNhalaiions
are moist. though that would be serious
enough, Pervading all the rooms on the
first floor but this moisture leads to the
rapid decay of meats. vegetables and
fruits. the exhalations from which are
hurtful; and TO the development. pre-
ervatiOn and propagation of those mi
crOphytes. which we now understand
are the direct agents in the production
of some diseases. A damp cellar gives
rise to colds. coughs. catarrhal. brOn-
chial aad pulmonary affections and fe
vers-diseases not violent in their symp
toms. but serious.
II is apparent that the first essential
of cellar Is lack Of moisture. All de-
sirsble points follow as a matter Of
course If this is secured Thus the cel-
lar Is TO preserve fruits ard vegetables
in the winter-tO keep them from frecz-
ing and rotiing. This Is its most i'm
pOrtant use and the one most difficult
to secure Fruits and vegetables will
rot much quicker in a damp than in o
dry cellar. for dampness favOrs rot; and
in such n cellar they will also freeze
more quickly, for dampness favors frost
So a dry cellar is not only wholesome
but efficient. and to have il so should be
our first endeavOr.
An elevated site is necessary. Let
the cellar be low ground and it will be
damp. no matter how well il is drained.
because the ground is damp All that
the drain can do i TO remove the water
which collects on the floor. In we'll
drained cellars. hut on low land. ] have
frequently seen beads of moisture on
the wall, though the season was dry.
During a rain water viii collect upon
the low land and afterward gradually
settle into the earth: and the water
which has entered contiguous higher
ground viii percolIte through the soil
to the lower ground; thus the cellar
viii be surrounded nearly all the time
BIZ wet ground. which viii make it
damp. As the beauty. good appearance.
comfort and hcalthfulness of the house.
yanl and all surroundings demand a
high situation. it is doubtful II any con-
sideratiOn can justify the selection Of
low site for the farmhouse
/ know Of some cellars which are
perfectly dry. though not drainel; but
such are rare exceptions Draining must
be provided for before the wall is laid
Dig a trench foot deep and as wide as
the wall i to BE-. around the outside of
the cellar; fill this with hard stone
broken 10 the size Of 4 hens egg. and
on this the wall. Also make a very
shallow trench in the door of the cellar
Just inside the vail and the entire length
of t.
The shorter the drain the better. Sc
lect the route having the greatest de-
cline. A fall of one inch 70 each twenty
feet Of length viii be sufficient Tile i
the best material; but other may be
used with good results. have nailed
plank to form n tube: and two-inch pine
plank. when entirely under ground. win
last for n quarter of n century. Pump
tubing i sometimes used and does very
well when the volume of wafer TO be
carried of j. small and the ends are
closed against rats. | have made n
drain that vas good for fifteen years of
fat stones. After the bottom of The ex-
caTatiOl was done | made q trench in
the cen-cr. as wide a the bla1e Of the
spade and about eight inches deep.
Then / took two fiat stones. and placed
one on each side Of this trench. leaning
them together at the top. The stones
must be Of such size that when leaned
together their tops will be on a level
with the top Of the trench. Upon these
| laid a stout fiat stone resting on each
side of the trench This / covered care
FULLY with earth. that the stones might
not be displaced. The extremity which
comes TO the surface of the ground
should be of wood tubing. as to this 4
screen to exclude vermin can be nailed
This screen j. best made by mailing
strips Of zinc. half an inch wide and
half an inch apart. across the opening.
Put the cellar deep into the ground.
L on any hut a low. level site. the top
Df the wall should not be more than
eighteen or twenty-fOIr inches above
the ground. as this will give the house
sufficient elevation A. the cellar should
b. six feet deep. this would make it from
four feet tO four and half below the
surface. Cellars are often put high
above ground in order to lessen the CN-
,avation; this spoils the cellar. TO save q
Tery little work; placed 20 much above
ground. il viii not preserve fruit and
plants during the coolest period OF win
.er. Rightly gone about. the labor of
sxcavating the cellar j. not great. The
,arth can be lOosened with a plow and
irawn out with 4 road scrapcr All the
manual labor required j. TO shave down
he wall and to dig out one corner.
where ]. VIII he necessary to leave an
ncline fo- the exit Of the horses.
Have 4 airway leading direct from
he kitchen to the cellar; don't compel
he housewife to pass through another
-oom. She will have to make this trip
many times a day. and it should be as
ihort as possible.
Finally. don't think of doing without
/ cellar. or Of building the house and
making the cellar afferward II YOU
haven't money enough for both. W ait
mother wear. or let part Of the house go
d.--,Joln r. Stall, ia Country
Jenflcnlan.
CtOAKS EOR ECuu 0pEN