Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-11-11
Farm CiSternS.

Our readers have heard Of the man who
was from year to year annoyed with e leaky
roof-because, when the weather was fair ii
did not need repairing, and when raining.
he could not Il. end il. In the same way.
some farmers neglect to make provisions for
watering domestic animals, until drought
actually arrives, and then they cannot We
well know one, who during the present dry
weather, drives his cattle mile 70 water at
the same time that he has roof enough on his
arge barn to give them all the drink they
need, if . cisten Of capacity has been pre-
pared TO retain it. The barn cost one thou
sand dollars the cistern might be built for
ffty-yet every animal Of his large herd has
to travel nearly thirty miles each week for
nece ssary drink. He might construct 2 els
tern nov, but it will be another year before
ne can derive benefit from it, and SO he puts
off the labor.
His barn is about thirty-fge by seventy
ieet-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 1900 barrels. This would
be enough TO water daily, the year through,
leach animal drinking each day four twelve
quart pailfuls,) thirteen head of cattle but
If this water was reserved for tie dry sea-
son only, or when small streams are dry,
thirty or forty head might be watered from
the roof.
Every man, almost, makes his cisierns too
small, and often they do not hold 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 1900 barrels. If the cattle
were watered from it the year round, and its
contents thus constantly drawn as it ills
one large enough to hold 800 barrels would
do; but II used for the dry season only, it
should be more than double. A cistern
fourteen feet in diameter and twelve feet deep
would hold about 400 barrels-twenty feet
IN diameter, and the same depth would be
sufficient fer 500 barrels
III bulit under ground, and contracted to-
wards the top, 1t would require TO be little
larger IN dimensions, TO allow for the con-
tracted space Such a 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 ma
sonry. An ignorant stone mason whom we
once employed to construct small cistern of
this character, stoutly refused TO construct
the walls, asserting positively that they would
Immediately tumble in if thus made to lean,
apparently knowing nothing OF the security
OF the area, which this would possess on every
side. The pressure OF the water outward
would be counterbalanced 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 incon-
venience of an ample supply of water is felt,
and while there will be no annoyance from
the streams which at other times ooze through
the earth into the excavations made for els
terms, 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 subson is underlaid by slate or
other rock which may be excavated. In
such cases. it sometimes happens that with a
little care IN cutting. the water lime mortar