Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-01-02
CELLAR OF YOUR HOUSE.
Properly Arranged Can BE Utilized
for Many Purposes.

Properly Arranged Can BE Utilized
for Many Purposes.
The cellar of the modern home
should be dry, hygienic place, where
a multitude of things can 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, unfoored
place, where disease germs were bred,
1t is usually provided with a cement
or concrete bottom. brick walls and
piastered ceilings. With the heating
apparatus located in it the cellar is
kept from freezing in the coolest
weather, and it can be made as clean
and sweet as desired.
However, the cellar is primarily il
tended for the storage of certain pei
ishable articles which need a low TEN
perature, and it is unwise to use il
exclusively for other purposes. The
heating apparatus is very apt TO make
the average cellar too warm for the
safe-keeping of fruits and vegetables,
and also for many dairy products. The
ideal place for keeping perishable
goods of this nature should have a
cold, dry temperature just above the
freezing point. To obtain this at all
seasons requires a little foresight and
preparation.
The cellar Of the modern house
should be divided into at least three
compartments One for coal and
wood, which need not be 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 COM
partment should be for the storage of
perishable goods, such as winter fruits,
vegetables and butter, cheese and
eggs. This, in turn. should be sub
divided into separate compartments
for the dairy products and fruits and
root crops, so that the former cannot
get tainted by the odors from the lat
ter
The bird compartment should be
for a general workshop, flower boxes
and for miscellaneous storage of arti-
cles that are not needed in the living
room.
Assuming that the cellar floor is of
good concrete, which will insure pro-
lection from dampness and excessive
moisture. it is wise to make the divi-
sion into compartments according to
the special needs of the different work.
The perishable goods require no sun.
and it is better to locate the compart-
ment for them on the north or north
west side of the cellar, where it will
be easier to secure an even temporal
ture throughout the winter. To in
sure this, however, double sash win
dows 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 adj
mitted every pleasant day, and when
the temperature is not excessive out
side a continuous circulation of air
should be obtained by an outside shaft
and an open window.
The ventilating shaft is nothing but
simple, elongated box or trough
which enters 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 it in cold weather. The window
that is not closed tight for the winter
should have an outside wire netting
to prevent the sitting of dust into the
cellar. BY having double window
sashes the cold can be kept out of this
single window very well.-America1
Homes and Gardens.