Virginia Storage House. 457 



of warm weather set in, without a drop to freezing from the 7th 

 until the 24th of the month. During this time the temperature 

 often registered above 60 in the shade, with maximum readings 

 considerably higher. The cellar temperature varied just 12 for 

 the entire month, reaching 58 on two occasions, but closing the 

 month at 46, with outside temperature at 34. During Decem- 

 ber the cellar temperature was reduced quite steadily from 45 to 

 .'58, the daily variations being at most 2. Outside temperature 

 varied considerably, but the range was between 15 and 46. 

 Quite a number of observations was made on the working of the 

 supply flue and the ventilators. The tests made showed that air 

 passed through the one hundred and fifty feet supply flue in 

 thirty to forty seconds, and the ventilators could be depended 

 upon at all times to keep up a movement of air in the cellar so 

 as to draw a fresh supply. In fact, during the coldest weather we 

 frequently closed the ventilators to prevent the too rapid lowering 

 of the temperature in the cellar. The tests showed that this short 

 flue could not be depended upon to raise the air to a proper 

 temperature when the mercury outside was at 15 or lower. Our 

 observations showed that the air was, under these circumstances, 

 raised about 20, varying, of course, with conditions. During 

 January further experiments showed that we could quite easily 

 reduce the cellar temperature to 35 when the outside air regis- 

 tered 15 to 20. However, the building proves to be lacking in 

 two essentials to hold the cellar temperature stable; viz., it is 

 not deep enough in the earth, and the floor between it and the 

 tool-room above is not properly laid. This floor is made double, 

 of half -inch stuff, while we now see that the cellar-room should 

 also be ceiled in the best possible manner, to prevent interference 

 by outside changes of temperature. The total range in the cellar 

 during January was 35 to 42. This result was, however, se- 

 cured by carefully watching the conditions, so as to admit cold 

 air during the night or periods of low temperature and then clos- 

 ing the flues when the outside temperature would act injuriously 

 upon the temperature of the cellar. With the temperature fluc- 

 tuations which prevail in this region, much attention is necessary 

 to properly control the conditions in the cellar." 



