306 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



THE CELLAR. 



This is an essential appendage to a house, particularly 

 where roots are to be stored. Many appropriate a part of it 

 to the dairy, and if thus employed, it should be high, clean 

 and well ventilated, and wholly free from all earthy smell 

 or odor of any kind. The proper preservation of what is 

 contained in it, and the health of the inmates, demand a 

 suitable dryness and free circulation of air. The cellar is 

 frequently placed on the side of a hill, which renders it more, 

 accessible from without. This is in no respect objectionable, 

 if the walls are made sufficiently tight to exclude the frosts. 

 When on level ground, it should be sunk only three or four 

 feet below the natural surface, and the walls raised high 

 enough to give all the room wanted ; and the excavated earth 

 can be banked around the house, thus rendering it more ele- 

 vated and pleasant. It also provides for the admission of 

 light and air through small windows, which are placed above 

 ground. A wire gauze to exclude flies, ought to occupy the 

 place of the glass in warm weather, and if liable to frosts, 

 there should be double sashes in winter. 



Ventilation is important at all times, and it may be se- 

 cured even in winter, by a large aperture connected with the 

 chimney. This may be increased in mild weather or during 

 the warmer part of the day, by throwing open the windows. 

 The cellar should be connected with the kitchen or sheds 

 above, by safe, well-lighted stairs ; and the entire building 

 should be rat-proof. This is easily accomplished. "When 

 erecting a building, the carpenter and mason, for less than 

 the additional expense of a year's support for a troop of rats, 

 can forever exclude them from it, by the exercise of a little 

 ingenuity and trouble. A brick floor in a cellar is easily 

 broken up by these insidious, ever-busy vermin ; and a plani 

 or wooden floor is objectionable, from its speedy decay. 

 The most effective and permanent barrier to their inroads, is 

 afforded by a stone pavement, laid with large pieces in ce- 

 ment, closely fitted to each other and to the side walls. This 

 is also secured by placing a bed of small stones and pebbles 

 on the ground and grouting, or pouring over it a mortar 

 made of lime and sand, so thin as to run freely between the 

 stones. When dry, a slight coating of water-lime cement is 

 added, which is smoothed over with the trowel. This can 

 be so laid as to admit of ready and perfect drainage, by a 

 Jepression in the centre or sides, which answers for gutters. 



