GEXERAL PRACTICE STORING FRUIT. 205 



ground half their diameter, joining them properly at their crossings, tilling the space 

 between and over them level with the damp-course with clean rubble, rough at the 

 bottom and fine at the top. By inserting air bricks at each corner, and along the ends 

 and sides, 9 feet apart, in and level with the surface of the air cavity cover which 

 should be bricks on edge set in cement a circulation of air will be secured through 

 the drain tiles, and with wood bricks, padded on the under side with hair-felt, to place 

 over the air bricks, the air in the cavity and pipes will be rendered still, whilst 

 removing them will set it in motion. Water is prevented lodging in the area by 

 rubble drains leading to land drains. 



Up to the ground level the walls may be solid. There, or a little higher, should 

 be a damp-course (asphalt), continuing it over the whole surface of the rubble. This 

 practically renders the building damp-proof, also invulnerable to rats and mice. Above 

 the damp-course the walls should be hollow, 14 inches thick, with the middle course 

 left out. The 4|-inch walls should be built in cement, a header being placed "here 

 and there " across the 4^-inch cavity. If the headers are placed in one course care 

 must be taken not to close the cavity. A wall built in the way described is quite 

 stable. The roof should be double- ceiled, that is, lathed and plastered beneath the 

 rafters, and the ceiling joists fixed to the under side of the purlins with their ends resting 

 on the inner wall plate. The ceiling joists must not be more than half notched at the 

 purlins, for between the lower ceiling and the purlins a clear space must be left, as 

 between the ceiling joists, to allow a free passage to air. If the ceiling is required 

 boarded, every third joist must be an inch deeper than the others, and the plaster 

 kept above these joists. Care must be taken to fill in the space between the rafters 

 on the outer wall plate, so as to close the air cavity on the outside. The roof should 

 project 12 to 18 inches, and the rafters be covered with ^-inch close boarding, over- 

 laying this with dry hairfelt. The slating .must be well done ; tiles, however, are 

 preferable, because less conductive of heat. Fix efficient guttering, with down spouts 

 properly connected with drains. 



Provide ventilation at the upper part of the roof. If a span roof, and hipped, 

 the ventilator should be in the centre of the ridge. An opening, 3 feet long and 

 12 inches wide in the clear, answers for a large room. Let the casing, 2 inches 

 thick, extend a little above the ridge and below the bottom ceiling, perfectly isolating 

 the ceiling cavities from the room. Two circular holes 3 inches in diameter 

 should be cut on each side the case, also each end directly opposite the roof cavities, 



