Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-01-27
LOOK WELL To THE CELLAR.

This is the time when the majority
Of country housekeepers and many
thrifty ones In town put q supply oi
vegetables and other edibles in their
cellars for winter use. With the for.
mer there is no alternative If she would
have variety Of food, especially OF
green vegetables for her table. But
with the dweller in towns it is ques.
ton which each must settle for herself,
whether it is more economical than
purchasing IN small quantities as they
are needed.
will preserve vegetables or fruit fresh
for any length of time. and where these
conditions are unavoidable it surely is
better to purchase as required.
II there is a furnace In the cellar and
no room closely partitioned off for it,
the entire cellar will be warm and 1t is
impossible to keep it otherwise.
Dampness can sometimes be removed
by thorough and constant ventila-
tion, and by keeping open vessels con-
tanning unslacked lime standing about
The floor should also be sprinkled
with a solution of sulphate of iron and
and if these remedies are unavaIling
and the house IS a rented one, no time
should be lost in securing one with a
dry cellar even though 1t is inferior in
some other respects.
The most thorough sanitary regula-
tons otherwise cannot make a house
healthful that has damp foul cellar
for the air constantly rises and perme-
Rtes the entire house
Every good housekeeper has the eel
lar thoroughly cleaned during the
Spring renovation, and in the country
where they are used during the sum-
mer more than in town houses where
food is usually kept In q refrigerator,
this state of cleanliness is usually main
tanned. But in cities they are often
virtually closed after being cleaned, or
used only for the storage of washing
utensils and the like and their care left
entirely with servants. During thirty
years experience l have had few SER
wants who appreciated the importance
of absolute cleanliness here, but they
are the exception and should have q
gold medal, or what is better yet, the
appreciation of their mistress and
compensation commensurate with their
value. Knowing this 1 was not as as
tonished as / should once have been
when L went into ours after a five
months illness and found everything in
a confused tumble though L had been
repeatedly assured by the servant and
iaundress "that it was all right"
1t was not in the least dangerous be-
cause the five windows and outer door
were open, Cindeed 1 doubt if they
have been closed during the entire
summer, though of course it was owing
to carlessness, not care.)
But there were four baskets with
few potatoes in each, standing beside
the bin, two Of apples. butter tub
that had not been washed after the
contents were used out and things in
general after the same careless fashion.
Now if the winters supply of vege-
tables, etc., had been stored in it with
out the thorough cl, aning my super
vision brought about, mysterious
visitation Of typhoid fever, diphtheria
or spring fever might have resulted
And because L am confident that my
help is no more careless than the
majority, l say to housekeepers: look
well to the conditions of your cellar
before laying in winter supplies or
closing them up at the approach of
cold weather.