Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1871 — Water-tight Cellar Floors. [ARTICLE]

Water-tight Cellar Floors.

When floors are not subjected to ..a great pressure of water, n good hydraulic cement in water-lime will form a tight cellar bottom and sides; but when the whole soil is full, and the cellar is like a basin in it, as in a case-proposed to us, the pressure of the water upward will surely find crevices where it will ooze up. The cure for this state of things is to get drainage, if possible, and if this cannot be had, and repeated patchings will not stop the leaks; in a very dry time take up the top of the floor, and after covering the whole with a layer of gravel, pour into it melted asphaitum, which should be soiled and pounded down while.warm, and one or two more layers applied; topping with sand. If the gravel can be hot, also, it will make a much better floor; but if it cannot be, some coal-tar may be mingled with the aaphaltum, and the gravel coated slightly with it before the hot asphaltum is applied. ■ —American Agriculturid. .