Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-16
THE CELLAR IN WINTER.
Has Rapidly Come to Be an Absolute
Necessity.

From American Homes and Gardens
The cellar of the modern country home
should be dry, hygienic place, where
multitude of things be safely stored,
| and at the same time it should be utilized
for purposes which will add to the pleasure
and profit of the occupants. The cellar has
undergone rapid evolutions in the past
dozen years, and instead Of wet. un-
toored place, where disease germs were
bred. 1t is usually provided with cement
! or concrete bottom, brick walls and plas-
tered ceilings. With the heating apparatus
| loca ted In 1t the cellar Is kept from freez-
| Ing in the coolest weather. and 1t can be
made clean and sweet as desired.
However, the cellar is primarily intended
for the storage of certain perishable arti-
cles which need low temperature and It
is unwise to use 1t exclusively for other
purposes The heating apparatus is very
apt to make the average cellar too warm
for the safe keeping of fruits and veg
etables, and also for many dairy products.
The ideal place for keeping perishable
goods of this nature should have cold.
dry temperature just above the freezing
point To obtain this at all seasons re-
quires a little foresight and preparation.
The cellar of the modern house should be
divided into at least three compartment
one Tor coal ana WOOD, winch need not DC
large, but the partitions of which should
be so tight that coal dust and ashes from
the furnace cannot escape to other parts
of the cellar. The second compartment
should be for the storage OF perishable
goods, such as winter fruits, vegetables
and butter, cheese and eggs This, In turn,
should be subdivided into separate COM
partments for the dairy products and fruits
and root crops SO that the former cannot
get tainted by the odors from the latter
The third commandment ShniIfd 10 oar
eral workshop, flower boxes and for miscel-
laneous storage of articles that are not
needed IN the living room.
Assuming that the cellar floor is of good
concrete, which viii insure protection from
dampness and excessive moisture. 1t is wise
to make the division into compartments ac-
cordng to the special needs of the differ
ent work. The .periSha BILE goods require no
sun, and 1t Is better to locate the compart-
ment for them on the north or northwest
side of the cellar, where 1t will be easier to
secure an even temperature throughout the
winter. To insure this, however double
sash windows should be supplied. and as
the winter advances the windows should
be closed by piling straw litter or hay
against them on the outside At least one
or two should be left unprotected in order
to secure proper ventilation and sunlight
fresh air should be admitted every pleas
ant day, and when the temperature Is not
excessive outside continuous circulation
of air should be obtained by an outside
shaft and an open window.
The ventilating shaft Is nothing but 4
simple, elongated box or trough which en-
ters the cellar opposite the window which
is to be left open. This ventilating tube
should have an inside and outside door or
sliding board to close 1t in cold weather
The window that is not closed tight for the
winter should have an outside wire netting
to prevent the Sitting of articles In the
collar By having double window sashes
the cold can be kept out of this single win
dow very well.