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The Canadian Horticulturist. 



COLD STORAGE FOR APPLES. 



Sir, — I have been unable to find an architect who knows anything of the construction 

 of cold storage buildings. Could you describe or give a section of wall of storage 

 building, how constructed of wood, how many times boarded and papered, if filled and 

 what with, is any ventilation or circulating medium used? How is ice chamber con- 

 structed ? Can two story building be cooled with one ice chamber, if so, how is cold air 

 brought to lower flat? Would it be advisable to put lower story partly in ground? 

 Would any windows be required ? If you cannot give the above information, could you 

 advise where I could get it ? 



D. R. Mknzies, Goderich. 



In January number of volume XVI, full directions for a first-class cold 

 storage house were given with illustrations, to which we refer our enquirer for 

 replies to most of his enquiries. This subject has been treated several times 

 in this Journal. 



A simple hillside fruit cellar was illustrated on p, 251, Vol. X, from "Jour, 

 of Chemistry " (Fig. 661). Two rooms, large enough to contain all the fruits of 

 the farm, are needed — an outer and an inner. A cellar should be dug in the 

 south side of a hill large enough for the inner room. The outer room should be 

 exposed to the air wholly in front, and on the sides far enough to accommodate 

 two windows, as shown in the engraving. Build of brick or stone, carrying the 

 walls to the height of eight feet. If stone is used — it may be rough and be put 

 up by any farmer — it must be pointed with mortar. A thick wall, with a door, 

 should separate the two rooms. In the engraving the walls are shown by dotted 

 lines. The roof should come near the ground in the rear ; be carefully con- 

 structed and supported by 

 timbers ; be lined with tarred 

 paper, strongly secured and 

 painted with tar or pitch. 

 There should be a ceiling — 

 rough boards will do — and a 

 space one and a half or two 

 feet deep between it and the 

 roof, to be filled with dry 

 straw, hay or sawdust. 



The fruit should be kept in 

 the outer room until freezing weather, and then be removed to the well pro- 

 tected inner one. The outer room should be ventilated through its windows ; 

 the inner, by opening both doors, duf only in cold, dry tveather, as warm air 

 introduced would condense and give out moisture. There must be special care 

 about admitting warm air in the spring. 



For ice storage, the California Fruit Grower describes the following, as an 

 inexpensive house. The room itself may be any size most convenient. Erect 

 a frame lined on the inside with heavy paper and varnished with shellac, then 

 ceiled and floored with matched stuff, ^ or ^ inch thick. Varnish the entire 



Fia. 661. — Dr. Nichols' Hill-Side Fruit Cellar. 



