FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 669 



are the things, and these only, that make for happiness — the finding 

 and the doing of the work intended for us. 



No longer did little Mrs. J. envy the memory of the happy days of 

 her youth; no longer did she crave for her own the advantages of town 

 women's children; for with community organization came school con- 

 solidation, and with that, educational opportunities not excelled by any 

 of the village schools around them. 



Best of all, what has been done in other communities by the rural 

 social center may be done in yours and mine when we awaken to the limit- 

 less opportunities of country living. 



COLD STORAGE. 



C. H. DEUK, MISSOURI VALLEY, IOWA. 



When the Committee arranged the program, and assigned the topics they 

 evidently had in mind there would be held a very good meeting, and that 

 the many excellent papers read and subjects discussed here ought to be 

 preserved. 



At this time the near closing of this splendid session, I know of no 

 better way than to place some of them at least in "Cold Storage." 



We do know all fruits and vegetables placed in storage do not all 

 keep well. The same rule will apply to subjects and discussions. 



The caption of the subject assigned me does not designate whether 

 natural or artificial so will assume either of the two as we desire a 

 wide range or base to stand on. 



We all have had some experience I am sure with the cellar or cave 

 used for the storage and keeping of fruits and vegetables, usually with 

 good success but often times with wholly or partial failure and unsatis- 

 factory results. I believe fruits and vegetables placed in such storage 

 that do not stand and keep well is due to poor conditions, inadequate 

 ventilation of the cave or cellar or out of condition, immatured, low 

 quality of the product selected for storage. 



The outside cellar or cave properly constructed is far superior to the 

 cellar being a part or beneath the house. In the latter during cold 

 weather people very naturally close and calk up all outside openings or 

 ventilators in order to keep the parlor floor warm and the things down 

 cellar from freezing. Let us go down in that cellar and see what we 

 find. There will be usually a warm, odorous and sometimes a foul atmos- 

 phere. First period seems nice and warm, produce keeping fine. A 

 little later, we begin to find noticeable a damp, clammy condition, then 

 a breaking down and decay of our fruits and vegetables. Before spring 

 what we have not consumed must be carried out, unfit for any purpose. 

 To the city merchant we must go for our supply, until, if fortunate 

 enough, we get a crop. If so, down in that same cellar it goes, again 

 with disappointment as before, remember that the parents of next 

 year's mosquito crop are probably wintering in your cellar. 



