324 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
“Our celery house is 50 by 150 feet, with walls 6 l / 2 
feet high at the lowest corner, and about 4^2 feet at the 
upper side. The walls are 14 inches thick, made of con- 
crete, with a 2 to 3-inch air space in the center. These 
double walls are bound together by ^-inch iron rods, 
three to the square yard. 
“Twelve windows are in the side walls, just under the 
plates or sills, while there are four in each end, just 
above the sills. The top of the wall is level, and the 
gable ends are of 7-inch studding, with flooring used on 
both sides, the north end being packed with straw. The 
painted iron roof is supported by 8-inch rafters, ceiled 
underneath with flooring. This space is also packed with 
straw or cheap hay. This roof is held up by 24 purlin 
posts, set on concrete abutments. 
“The two double doors are large enough for a team to 
enter. They are opened by raising, being balanced by 
weight-boxes, hung over 16-inch sheave wheels. There 
are two sets of ventilators in each end, about 20 inches 
wide, and 12 feet long. These are double, hinged at the 
top, one opening outward. This one is held at different 
angles by ratchet irons, while the inside one buttons 
either open or shut. There is also a ventilator 1 foot 
wide the whole length of the roof, near the peak, on the 
east side. On the upper side, these doors are covered 
with iron roofing, and are held open or shut by ratchet 
irons. The under doors drop down when open. 
“We have a walk in the center, two planks wide, on 
purlin beams, for convenience in operating the ventila- 
tors. The windows are in double sets, one outside of the 
wall, and the other inside, each half sliding open or shut, 
either to right or left. There is a brick chimney near 
the center of the house, as we need a stove for keeping 
an even temperature in very cold weather, and also for 
heating water while washing the celery. We do not like 
to let the temperature change very much, because 
