The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-12-17
Jor the farmer,
From tho Ohio Farm er.
water for stock in Winter.

in winter, is full supply Of pure water
for animals to drink; and not only a full
supply, but so conveniently arranged
that they can have free access tot when
ever their inclination leads them to par
take. We said-next to food and shell
ter; but some very successful herdsmen
aud aock'mastors, never provide shelter
at all for the bulk Of their aocks and
herds. Be this as it may. we shall in
tist that water IS a necessity for most
kinds Of farm stock, in winter as well as
other seosops.
The stable man gives water 10 his
horses two or three times a day, and
the herdSman also provides daily
drsught for his cattle, but many flock.
masters think it Of lilllo importance to
provide drink for their sheep, presuming
that they can lick up enough from the
snow or some damp spot to answer their
small wants. While upon good grass
feed, sheep will get along with but
little water to drink, but when confined
to dry hay and grain, and such FROST
bitten Pickings as they can find in
winter pasture, it is cruel to deprive
them Of water. Sometimes farmers say
shat water is damage to sheep and cat
tie ia winter, as taking considerable
quantity into their Stomachs on . cold
day, chills them all through. Well,
no wonder. There is right way and a
wrong way 10 water cattle and sheep in
winter. The wrong way is to let them
go thirsty uatil they have an unnatural
craving for drink, and then drive them
off to brook or slough, where they
drink and drink, I'll they are as full as
their skins can hold, and then with such
charge Of cold waterin their thirst .iO-
7ered bodies, it is no wonder they go
into tense corner to hump up their
backs aud iliiyer, until their inward re.
servoir is gSr@ed up to the temperature
of the tainig sueir bodies. In tho ear.
.ly yearslOf'6 ur4sin lie, away up in
the ice bound winters of New England,
twas DIR daily duty TO feed herd Of
cattle for several winters, where the
barn was alfS mile from the creek
where the cattle obtOined their wafer
On very cold days-and cold days meant
something in that county,, was diff.
cult to cut on! the water. holes through
two feet Office, so all the cattle could
get as much water as they needed once
a day. 1t was not particularly ogreea.
Bile for a boy to stand guard for half an
hour after cutting out the holos--in a
north wind which would sting like o
'~asp-While all the shivering weaklings
OF the herd. could slake theiI thirst, es.
pecially as be had to mount his colt and
ride a couple Of miles back homo from
this outlying farm, in season to 20 to
the district school; the consequence oft.
EN- was that between the mastery of the
lOng'horns of the herd, tho freezing up
of the water holes, aud the individual
Impatience to return 10 the barn, many
OF these cattle failed to get their daily
drink, and no fact was more observable
than the i'll effects of this failure, upon
their condition; whereas, when by reason
OF open weather or other favorable cir.
cumstanceS, the whole herd could GET
their daily drink, they always looked
hearty and contented.
Very different was this from the case
of another farm, which lay in the range
Of our daily labors, at the same timo.-
AT this there was never falling spring
OF water conducted into long trough,
where the water seldom froEo entirely
over and located within twenty rods of
the barn. AT this latter place, the cat.
lie had not to be driven of to water a,
any particular time, but after being fed
were ct liberty 10 go and drink as they
liked. The consequence was that each
animal would go several times a day,
aud take in only SO much water n,
time as was good for it, and then return
TO its picking in the barn yard. In the
i'rs' instance, no animal could get drink
but once day at best, and Than !,