Middletown transcript., 1898-10-01

fessor Kane offers some notes upon
more simple and less expensive system
which he thinks might be termed cell
mate cold storage, and which consists
in studying and outstanding the lowest
temperature of ones climate to do ones
bidding Some extracts from these are
as follows:
There are few days at stretch from
September until late in spring, in New
England, for instance, but that the tenn
perature falls at some time sufficiently
to utilize it for cold storage. Being pre-
pared to retain this temperature in eel
lars or buildings constructed for the
purpose until similar or lower tenn
perature is again realized is the key to
its success. From experience it is be-
lieved this simple method can with
comparatively little care and expense
be made more useful at present Tin this
our transitory stage) than all others.
The ordinary house cellar or portion of
a barn cellar will answer for the stor-
age room if the simple principles of
construction for the retention of dry
cold air as we'll as proper system of
ventilation are considered.
We commenced building a room for
cold storage about the middle of Decem-
Der, taking three Is foot bents on the
north side of the barn cellar. We first
dug trench about a foot deep where
the partition was to run. Into this
trench was set the lower ends Of the
studding, spiking the upper ends to the
floor timbers. Two by inch joist was
used for studding. This, with an inch on
each side for sheathing. made partition
eight inches thick. We then put down
into the trench two planks, one on either
side of the studding, letting the upper
edge come just to the top of the ground.
The top edge was leveled and then nail
ed to the studding. The earth was then
trampled in on the outside planks. In
this way we secured good firm bottom
to the partition, with 10 possible chance
for the air to get in.
We next put in the ventilators, which
are the most Important things to the
system. The fact that the cold storage
room was on the north Of the cellar
made it necessary to run the ventilator
across the cellar. This was done by dig
ging trench deep enough to admit &
plank spout IL inches square, to be COW
cred with six inches of dirt Just out
side the cellar we connected on vertical
spout which came up about four feet
above the top of the ground The top of
this was a trap which will admit tho
air and at the same time keep out tho
storm. Inside the cold storage room an
other vertical spout came up about a
foot above the top of the ground, with
a damper to shut off the draft when de-
sired. Thus we had a good connection
with the pure air outside. To complete
the ventilation we made on the north
side, about midway from each end of
the house, another ventilator of the
same size, hut made of matched pine
boards, which extended to the roof of
the barn. This is also fitted with a
damper, SO that the room may be C. osed
and kept entirely free from connection
with the outside air. The partition and
ceiling are sheathed up on both sides CT
the timbers and the space between the
sheathing filled in with fine shavings
packed as hard as possible. Fer door
we made az by ~ feet bevcl door,
which was sheathed on each side and |
filed with dry shavings. This makes a
perfectly tight fitting door.
The cost of the cold storage room, in
Guiding lumber and work, was $50, a
figure which is within the reach of all. |
The system was found to work very |
we'll. The year of 1896 was an extraor-
dinary one for apples and when the
crop was gathered it was impossible to
sell them for enough to cover the cost |
of picking. About 800 barrels were put |
into the cold storage room. We exam |
ined some of the barrels from time to |
time and found them in excellent con-
dition. The percentage Of decay from |
the time of picking until March was
only 60 per cent. The last of March |
the apples were sold on the spot ones |
and twos together for 75 cents barrel, |
a very fair price considering the abun-
dance Of the crop. The cost of keeping
the apples was nothing, except the time |
required for packing them and the lit |
tie trouble Of turning the barrels and |
looking after the ventilators. The pota- |
toes that were raised from the test of |
varieties at the station were also stored |
in the house and kept perfectly.