The Preservation of Food in the Home. — Part III 1309 



SUGGESTIONS FOR KEEPING FRUIT IN THE CELLAR 



Charles S. Wilson 



A supply of good fruit is produced on most farms. This fruit is enjoyed 

 in the fall when it is fresh, and usually an amount sufficient for winter is 

 stored in the cellar. In some cases it keeps satisfactorily, and often one 

 or two varieties are in good condition when consumed in the spring. In 

 many cases, however, the fruit does not keep well; it either shrivels or 

 becomes spongy and decays. The fault, which often lies in the storage 

 room, may be corrected wholly or in part. A few suggestions about the 

 construction and care of the cellar and the keeping of the fruit may be 

 helpful here. 



CONSTRUCTION OF THE CELLAR 



Although each cellar differs more or less from every other, the principles 

 of its proper construction are the same. A knowledge of those principles, 

 therefore, will enable one to work out the details in almost every case. 

 There are three important factors to consider: (a) ventilation, (b) tem- 

 perature, (c) humidity. 



Ventilation 



A fruit cellar should be well ventilated, 

 the effect that warm air rises and cool air 

 settles, is applicable here. It means that 

 warm air should be permitted to pass out 

 at the top of the room through ventila- 

 tors, and that cool air from outside should 

 be admitted to the room at the bottom. 

 When the storage room is a cellar, this 

 can be accomplished by means of a shaft 

 leading from a window down the wall and 

 opening near the floor. 



A few windows at the top of the wall con- 

 stitute the system of ventilation for most 

 farm cellars. Although this arrangement is 

 accepted as sufficient and in many cases 

 gives fairly good satisfaction, the temper- 

 ature cannot be kept so nearly uniform and 

 correct as when intake shafts are used. 



Temperature 



Two points must be considered under 

 this heading: (a) correct temperature, (b) 



That principle of physics to 



Fig. 91. — Cellar ventilation 

 uniform temperature. 



