The Cellar. 
BY SAM LAWRENCE. 
A cellar lias become an indispensable part 
■of the house. It is now thought almost as 
necessary as the kitchen itself, and it is 
indeed a wonderful improvement over the 
old “cave'’ or “dug-out.” which was roofed 
over with the dirt that was taken from 
helow. Well do I remember my first ex¬ 
perience, when starting in life, with one of 
these hast}' cellars. Small logs or poles 
were hauled from the timber; cut the prop¬ 
er length, and stretched across the cavity. 
The poles were laid close together and the 
dirt piled on them. A hole was dug down 
at the ends for a doorway or passage to the 
inner temple, and this opening was filled 
with straw to keep out the cold. Our cave 
served as a store-house for potatoes, turnips, 
cabbage and onions for a time; but when 
the old house was re-placed by a better one, 
all of the “new-fangled notions” had to be 
adopted to please “Eliza Jane,” and the 
cave went into disuse and finally caved in. 
A good sized elm now grows on the same 
spot as a sort of monument of the past. 
In some instances, where from neglect 
dirt is allowed to accumulate in the cellar, 
it might be better still, were the apartment 
separate from the dwelling. How often do 
we find it the common receptacle for all 
cast-off rubbish. Everything is packed in 
the cellar so it will be out of the way and 
unseen by visitors. From decaying matter 
in cellars is often spread the geims of dis¬ 
ease which are of so fatal a character. If 
such results were unavoidable we might 
urge out-door cellars, even if they are more 
inconvenient. Handiness will always have 
its effect over the operations of the human 
race, and so the eatable store-room is going 
to remain in close proximity to the kitchen. 
And why should’nt it? That is its place, 
and there let it remain. The filth can be 
eradicated by work, and poisonous vapors 
will then be displaced by pure air. 
As the building season is here, now is the 
time to ponder on the cellar question. When 
you are building have a good place for veg¬ 
etables attached, and have it under the 
kitchen for convenience; let it be roomy; 
don’t be cramped and crowded between cel¬ 
lar walls; have it large if you have to build 
another house to cover it. I am in favor of 
a deep cellar as it is warmer in winter. 
When there is any danger of dampness, it 
is best and cheapest to drain from the start 
and not wait until the water comes. To aid 
the drain the floor can be slightly elevated 
in the center sloping to the sides. A pas¬ 
sage-way can then be made to a common 
point that connects with the drain. Have 
the walls built stout. Use plenty of mortar 
inside and out as well. If it can be afforded, 
it is well to plaster both walls and ceiling 
for the sake of appearance and perhaps of 
cleanliness. All shelving should be of 
planed lumber painted white. Then to 
help along the cheeriness of the place ad¬ 
mit plenty of light. Good ventilation is also 
necessary. The cellar needs airing each 
day. Let the damp vapors be driven out 
by fresh, pure air. By having the cellar 
neat, clean, and well ventilated, this part of 
the house can be made one of the pleasant¬ 
est rooms of all, instead of being like a 
damp, dirty, untidy, disease-giving dun¬ 
geon which we often find it. 
Take Care of the Calves. 
BY W. D. BOYNTON. 
The little new comers will soon be putting- 
in an appearance if they have not already 
done so, and it is a piece of economical man¬ 
agement and humanity as well, to see that 
they receive good care during this the most 
critical period of their lives. 
They should certainly be treated as well 
as the older stock around, yet is not often 
that they are, They are too often turned 
into a little foul pen where each has to fight 
for its share of the community rations. If 
large and strong it gets more than its share: 
if puny and weak it gets less, and then the 
puny grow punier while the stronger thrive 
and grow fat,—like Mother Goose's kittens 
at the platter. 
It does not cost much to provide little 
stalls for them s© that they may be kept 
separately. Whatever room is given them 
will answer, if divided up into stalls, much 
better than if they are allowed to run riot, 
all together. Young as they are, they will 
soon learn to know their places; and, in fact, 
