STORAGE OF FRUITS 



99 



above the surface of the ground. On these walls plates are set and 

 a roof of frame construction erected. The roof structure is ceiled on 

 the under side of the rafters and dry sawdust or shavings packed 

 in the space between the rafters, and then the sheathing, paper and 

 roofing material. This type of structure is preferable in many respects 

 to the above-ground type, as it is easier to maintain the temperature 

 at the proper point and its insulation is a comparatively easy matter. 

 "Protection from freezing may be secured with an entirely under- 

 ground structure. In order to avoid steps down to the level of the 

 floor, with the consequent extra labor in storing and removing the 

 vegetables, a side hill location is desirable (Fig. 78). The excavation 



Fig. 78. Outdoor view of a side hill fruit storage house 



in the hill should be of the approximate size of the cellar, using the 

 dirt for covering the roof and for banking the sides. A frame is 

 erected by setting two rows of posts of uniform height in the bottom 

 of the pit near the dirt walls and a third line of posts about 5 feet 

 higher through the center of the pit. These posts serve as supports 

 for the planks or puncheons forming the roof. The door is placed 

 at one end and a ventilator in the roof. The whole structure with 

 the exception of the portion occupied by the door is covered with 

 dirt and sod. The thickness of the covering must be determined by 

 the location; the colder the climate the thicker the covering. Out- 



