Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-11-26
Outdoor Cellar
for Vegetables
Site for Structure Should Be
Convenient, Preferably
a Hillside.

prepared by the United States Department
of Agricultural
A permanent outdoor cellar for stor-
ing surplus vegetables may be built
OF concrete in most localities at a mod
crate cost. by using concrete it is
possible to make the roof self-support-
ing, thus lessening the cost of con-
struction. The site for the structure
should be a convenient, we'll drained
location, preferably a hillside, into
which the cellar may be built. The
excavation should be just large enough
for the dirt walls to serve as the out
side form for the concrete. For that
portion of the wall which is above the
surface of the ground an outer and
inner board form must be used. The
inside form usually is made of boards
held in place by scantling spaced about
eighteen inches apart. Temporary sup
ports should be placed across the top
to carry the form, so that it will be of
the size and shape desired.
Walls and Roof.
The side walls and roof should be so
constructed that there will be no joints
to weaken the structure. The form
for the ceiling may be slightly arched
by setting a temporary line of posts
through the middle of the excavation.
A plate placed on these posts few
inches higher than the height Of the
cid 11e, Ill H. Ic
to be laid crosswise of the cellar,
springing the ends down and securing
them to the forms for the inside of the
walls. An arch few inches high
makes a strong roof and helps in ven
tilating the cellar. The roof and the
walls should be respectively 10 inches
and inches thick. Both roof and
walls should be reinforced with 5s-irich
iron rods.
In the colder sections of the coun-
try, the exposed portions of the struc-
ture, with the exception of the door
located at the outside end, should be
covered with a two or three-foot layer
of earth to prevent freezing. A sup
Elementary covering of straw, fodder
or manure will afford additional pro-
lection from the cold. An earth floor
is desirable, as this permits good mois-
ture conditions FOR the storage of
many vegetables. A framework of
Stats or removable slat flooring on
which to set containers holding vege-
tables should be placed on the dirt
floor, as such an arrangement affords
a better circulation of air in the bot
tom of the cellar. AS a means of ad-
hitting cool air from the outside, a
pipe or duct Of suitable size should be
run just below the level of the floor
from a point outside the cellar to the
center Of the floor. A ventilating fiue
for the escape of warm air should be
placed in the roof. During extremely
cold weather both ventilator and air
inlet should be closed to prevent freez-
ing Of the vegetables. The outside end
of the air duct should be covered with
wire screen to prevent the entrance of
small animals.
Capacity of Cellar.
A cellar 10 feet wide, II feet long
and s feet high will contain the prod
ucts of an acre garden. A cellar
longer than this will require more
than one ventilator. The products
Of the average small home garden,
built in the same manner as the one
outlined above, can be stored in a
cellar feet wide, 8 feet long and Z
feet high.
Farmers Bulletin 49, Home Storage
of Vegetables, which contains instruc-
lions and plans for constructing sew
eral types of storage cellars, and
Farmers Bulletin 1919, Plain Concrete
for Farm Use, giving information rela-
tive to the mixing and use of con-
crete, may be obtained free upon re-
quest, while the supply lasts, by writ
ing the United States Department of
Agriculture, Washington.