242 



HOME AND FLOWEFS 



impurities^ and ill-smelling gases be 

 formed which add to the general disorder. 

 The site should be drained and the soil 

 tilled and sweetened before there can be 

 conditions for health in the home. 



The cellar is often a canse of trouble. 

 In the springtime there is an overflow of 

 water in an nndrained cellar^ and yarions 

 articles stored there are floating about 

 promiscuously. This gives rise when the 

 inundation ceases^ and as warm weather 

 comes on^ to disagreeable odors which per- 

 meate the entire house. A well-drained 

 cellar with plenty of ventilation is a safe- 

 guard against disease. If it extends un- 

 der the entire house or a large portion of 

 it^ there is better opportunity for ventila- 

 tion. Windows easily opened should be 

 placed opposite each other. A cement 

 floor is a valuable addition, but if it can- 

 not be had, the cellar may be rendered 

 quite dry by draining by means of a 

 trench on two sides of the house, at a 

 depth below the level of the cellar bottom. 

 In this should be laid a tile drain to lead 

 to a lower levels where the water may 



empty into a ditch or stream. In the 

 city it will connect with the sewer, al- 

 though it should not have direct connec- 

 tion, on account of the entrance of sewer 

 gas. The pipes in the cellar should all 

 be in plain sight and of a color to show 

 plainly any accidental leak. Bins should 

 be arranged for vegetables and fruity 

 raised a little from the floor to allow of a 

 free circulation of air and to prevent mold 

 and dampness. A clean, wholesome place 

 must be reserved for butter and eggs, and 

 other articles of food. No decaying vege- 

 tables and fruits should be allowed to re- 

 main in the cellar, and not only should 

 these be removed, but the cellar should be 

 cleaned and swept every week. For some 

 reason our enemies among the bacteria 

 like the cellar habitation, and warfare 

 must be waged against them constantly. 



Probably one of the most difficult prob- 

 lems for securing correct sanitation in the 

 home is that of disposing of the slops of 

 the household without polluting the water 

 supply. In the city there is but one 

 method, and yet there are dangers expert- 



