The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-09-26
.farm ano Aoussbol>.
Farm Gisterils.

Our readers have heard of the man who
was from year to wear annoyed with q leaky
roof-because, when the weather was fair 1t
did not need repairing, and when raining,
he could not mend it. In the same way,
some farmers neglect to make provision Tor
watering domestic animals, until drought
actually arrives, and then they cannot. We
well know one, who during the present dry
weather, drives his cattle q mile to water, at
the same time that he has roof enough on
his large barn to give them all the drink they
need if cistern of proper capacity had
been prepared to retain it. The barn cost
thousand dollars the cstern might be built
for ftty-yet every animal of his large herd
has to travel nearly thirty miles each week
for necessary drink He mi ght construct
cistern now, but it will be another year be-
fore he can derive benefit from it, and so he
puts off the labor.
His barn is about So BY 20 feet-if three
feet of rain falls annually, three cubic feet
of water will be afforded by every square
foot of surface-more than 1000 cubic feet
from the whole roof, which would be about
100 barrels. This would be enough 70 wa.
ter daily, the gear through, leach animal
drinking each day four twelve-quart pail
fulls,) thirteen head of cattle but if this
water were reserved for the dry season only,
or when small streams are dry, thirty or forty
head might be watered from the root
Every man, almost, makes his cisterns too
small, and often they do not hold a tenth
part of the discharges at the caves. In the
above mentioned instance, it would not be
necessary to construct one large enough to
hold the entire 100 barrels. If the cattle
were watered from it the year round, and its
contents thus constantly drawn as it fills,
one large enough to hold 400 barrels would
do; but if used for the dry season only, it
should be more than double. \ cistern II
feet in diameter and u feet deep, would hold
about 400 barrels-20 feet in diameter, and
the same depth, would be sufficient for 500
barrels. If built under ground. and con-
tracted towards the top, it would require to
be little larger in dimensions, to allow for
the contracted space. Such contraction
would be absolutely necessary to admit of
convenient and safe covering at the top, and
could be effected without any difficulty If
built of masonry. An ignorant stone ma
son whom we once employed to construct
small cistera of this character, stoutly refus-
ed to contract the walls, asserting positively
that they would Immediately tumble in if
thus made to lean, apparently knowing moth
ing of the security of the arch, which this
would possess on every side. The pressure
of the water outward, would be counterbal-
anced by the pressure of the earth against
the exterior. especially if well rammed in
as the wall is built.
Now, at the present time, while the in
convenience of an ample supply of water is
felt, aud while there will be no annoyance
from the streams which at other times ooze
through the earth into the excavations made
for cis.erns, every deficient farmer should
take hold of the business, and construct
such as may be desirable.
There are some portions of the country
where the subsoil is underlaid by slate or
other rock which may be excavated. In
such cases, it sometimes happens that with
little care in cutting, the waterlime NOR
tar may be Immediately applied to the rocky
walls. a shoulder above being made on which
to build the contracted part only.
The following table, of the size and con-
tents of cisterns, may be convenient to those
about to.b build them. For each foot Of depth,
the number of barrels answering to the diff:
fsrent diameters, are as follows: