Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/509

475&#93; CEL Ions roots, by adopting the simple expedient before suggested by Kirchner. Although ve have no decisive proof of this useful conversion, which might be easily applied to the improvement of many other culinary vegetables, yet there appears to be a consider- able prospect of a successful re- sult in many of those plants, now vegetating in a garden at Pad- «Jmgton. When distilled, the seeds of both, the wild and cultivated celery, pro- duce an essential oil. The roots of the former are eaten by sheep .oats, but cows and horses re- them. — As an article; of food, the celery is wed known, but is said to be hurtful to persons sub- ject to nervoas complaints. It is, however, considered as an exc tyt nt antiscorbutic. The bullous, root of cclcriac is much esteemed on the Continent, where it is preserved in sand for the winter, and eaten chiefly as salad, For this purpose, it is cut in slices, and soaked a few hours in vinegar: by such simple prepa- ration, it becomes as mellow as a pine-apple, and affords a delicious, and very nourishing repast : heme it is much relished by invalids, or the aged. Wc doubt, howe ex, whether it deserve the great cha- ra6ter it has acquired among the Trench and Germans, for its brac- ing and restorative virtues, in cases of general relaxation and nervous debility. CELLARS, in modern building, are the lowest rooms in a house ; their ceilings are usually level with the surface of die ground, on which die house is built. They are also situated under the pave- ment before it, particularly in streets and squares. C E M T475 On account of the great utility of cellars in preserving wines, ale, &c. various attempts have been made to prevent the generation of damp and noxious air, in subter- raneous places : two of these merit particularly to be 'noticed. The tirst is that of M. Yv'estbeck. fin the Memoirs of the Royal Swedish Academ oftJie Sri encesj, who caus- ed a vanitcacol.-.r tube- construct _-d, without stone or lime : instead of the former, he employed charcoal, placed in the manner of brick- work ; and, as a subsutute tor the latter, he u>ed a cement, consisting of clay, kneaded with charcoal dust. These brittle materials were employed, because they attract no moisture, or acidity, either from the air, or earth; a circ'um stance which renders them even more dur- ajle than stone. Another method, is that fre- quently practised in Germany, where the vaults are so coiisUUll- ed, that a canal, or passage of com- munication, is opened trom the ce lar to the principal chimney of the house. By this means, the cel- lars may be continually ventilated, so as to expel the damn and noxious vapours, which are usually cohect- ed in them ; while the draught of the chimney is, in a considerable degree, promoted. The dangers aiising from the sudden, or frequent inhalation of such air as is often generated m close, and damp cellars, have al- ready been stated ; together with the most proper method of obviat- ing its deleterious erlecxs. See Air, p. 23. CEMENT, generally signifies any glutinous matter, capable, of uniting and keeping substances in close cohesion. It principally de- notes compositions employed for holding