Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-05-05
A11i(nttnEa1.


PuRIrIcArIoy OF WATER-Now that
the season Of the year has arrived when
our citizens will be interested in securing
for themselves pure and wholesome water,
and when the minds Of scientists will be
devoted to the means of avoiding such
calamites as visited us last year by reason
Of poieonous drink, it may not be uninter-
eating to know that recent English exper-
imepts have resulted in the discovery that
magnetic oxid of iron, which abounds in
rocky strata and in sands, attracts oxygen
whether it exists in water or air and pol |
arizes it: that this polarized oxygen is
the salubrifying ozone that this ozone 80
formed destr.ys all discoloring and po'-
luting organic solution in water and con-
verts them intot the sparkling and refresh |
ing earbonic acid Of the natural healthful
snring. No matter how foul the water,
By this agent it can be almost instantly
purified It is further ascertained that
filtration is itself magnetical, and it is nov
known that all substances are constitution
ally more or less subject to magnetic in.
fuences thus all extraneous substances
suspended in water may be rapidly attract
cd in filtration and So ser arated, and this
may be done either on a great or small
scale. either in the ordinary cistern or the
largest reservoir by the magnetic oxide
OF black sand of iron by mixing it with
the common sand, or by various other
means. This process affords a cheap and
convenient meana of keeping our reser-
voirs always pure, and surely the cad will
justify the means.
ARTIFICIAL SpRINGs.-1 am vel
aware that the simple words at the head
of this article will at once attract the at
tention of hundreds Of farmers living
upon the prairies Of the west and the
onestion will arise in the minds of each
one Can springs be made l believe in
several instances they can be made, and
though they may not all be wholly rel-
able. or entirely durable, yet they will
prove important helps to the farmer in
furnishing good stock water, and will pay
back many times the cost Of construction.
All propose to do in this is to state what
have done, and if my experience will be
Of use to others they are welcome to it.
During the summer, fall and winter of
1867, also some months in the summer of
1868, I was obliged to dip water for all the
stock upon the farm, because of the
drought. The land hereabouts is what is
termed Rolling Prairie, and at the foot
of some slopes had observed indications
of water near the surface, though, as we
have no hard pan here, the water was
not forced out.
In September last commenced digging
at the foot of one Of these slopes and went
up to the distance of some fourteen rods,
until at the upper end, we had ditch six
feet deep; We struck water, Ga little) all
the way, except three or four rods at the
lower end, and then all the water that
came from above was absorbed by the rich
porous earth. [ then got common two
inch tile from the works at the moald be-
low Joliet, smoothed off the bottom of the
ditch, and laid the tile carefully, fasten-
ed it there, and then filed up the ditch.
To obyiate the absorption of the water
near the foot of the drain, and for the las,
thirty feet, [ made wooden tubing; at
the last [ sank trough made of pine
planks to catch the water, and at all times
have a supply. This was on the 10th day
Of September last, and from then we had
sufficient supply Of water for all the
stock on the farm, aud most Of the time
an abundance to spare.
The trough does not freeze oTer during
the coolest weather, nor does the water
ffeeze until it gets some forty feet away.
Perhaps should state that [ am some
what doubtful whether, in the most Sc
we're and protractcd droughts we have
here, it may not fail for short season,
but I feel sure that, had I made this ten
years stree, [ would have saved nine
tenths oft e dipping and pumping which
has been done. 1t will pay me Lack all
the expenses every year. There is another
very comfortable consider alton about it /;
the tile is very good and when well laid
is then all right for the next fifty or
hundred years.
HARNESS BLACKING.-The Rural
Neoo Yorker gives the following as the
method of making the English patent
harness backing, which i commended for
keeping leather soft, and giving it a
good polish: 1t is made by dissolving
together over slow fire three ounces of
turpentine, two ounces Of white wax; then
add one ounce of ivory black and one
drachm of indigo, to be pulverized and
mixed together. When the wax and tur
pentine are dissolved, add the ivory-black
and indigo, and stir till cold Apply very
thin, and brush afterwards.
FEEDING FowLs.-There is nothing
gained by feeding your laying hens as
thou. b you were fattenina! hem fer merket.
Especially will this remark apply while
they are running out. This thing of over
eating is hurtful to anything that eats It
is natural for fowl to be on the lookout
the most Of her time, and swallow grain
at q time as it is found, and thrives best
living in this manner. Not so with man
or beast. 1t is better for the latter to eat
meals at certain periods, aud not eat a
particle between meals.-Ec.