Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-11-27

hence the rapidly-increasing production
of the various kinds of root crops, such
as beets, turnips and carrots. Not being
fully satisfied with such laxative and
healthful food, many practice cooking
the grain as well as steaming their hay,
straw and other kinds of fodder, with
beneficial and profitable results. But a
variety OF food should always be pro-
vlded, II Tor no other purpose than to
quicken the appetite and prevent cloy-
ing. Ii it is the general practice to feed
corn whole or ground, then change occa-
sionally by steaming or boiling. The
same change may be made with oats
when fed to horses, but the addition of
roots two or three times week would be
still better. But it is unnecessary to par
ticularize, for every stock-owner will be
able to comprehend the Importance of
these changes as well as to devise means
for putting the same into practice.
A plentiful supply of water for stock
in winter is scarcely less important than
food. A brook, pond or spring half
mile or more from the barnyard is far
too frequently the only source of supply,
and to this distant spot the cattle must
wade through snow, mud and storms
daily all the long winter, or suffer the
tortures of thirst. We have seen far too
many instances of this kind of slack
farming to believe that 1t does not exist,
even if the truthfulness of the above
should be questioned. Now, animals
should have fresh, pure water, and that
not ice-cold either, supplied to them at
least twice day (three times would be
better stilD during the winter. Dry,
dirty food creates thirst in winter fully as
rapidly as heat in summer while the ami
NAL is grazing on succulent, juicy grasses
and other forage plants. If you have
no convenient means of supplying stock
with water the coming winter now is the
proper time to dig wells or provide cis-
terms for the purpose.
There are many farm yards which
could be supplied from running brooks,
either with pipes and a hydraulic ram, or
by open bitches and at a very slight eX-
pense. No matter how it is done, but by
all means have it done before the cold
weather sets in. If no brooks or ponds
are available, and wells are too eXpen-
sive, then as last resort build cisterns
If the soil near the buildings is of a mod
erately firm nature, and not too full of
stone to admit Of making smooth inner
surface when dug, no wall of either brick
or stone Will be necessary, but the cement
can be placed directly upon the earth,
and planks or slabs used for covering.
One barrel of cement water lime) will be
sufficient for circular cistern seven feet
in diameter and the same IN depth. Two
men can dig, plaster, and finish such
cistern in day or day and half. The
cost of cement and plank will not exceed
five dollars, except in some few localities
where the materials used are very scarce
and expensive.
Some coarse sand, a few planks, and
barrel of cement can be turned into
very fair cistern, and in few hours, by
any man who possesses ingenuity suffi-
cient to dig hole or mix mud. The
form of such cistern should always be
that of an inverted cone, in order to give
strength and facilitate the spreading
of the mortar upon the sides, and
have it remain in place until set.
The walls of cement and sand should
be at least an inch and half
thick, the first coat composed of coarse
sand or fine gravel, one part cement to
four of the gravel. The next coat half
inch thick, of moderately fine sand two
parts of sand to one of cement. A peck
of the cement should be set aside for a
thin skin or coat of fine sand and &C.
ment; or merely washing with cement
and water put on with whitewash-
brush will answer if one is not an adept
in the use of a plastering trowel. We
have two cisterns made in this way ten
years ago, the cost of which did not ex-
coed five dollars each, besides the labor,
and they have never leaked, and are as
sound to-day as when made. Water
from clean cistern is certainly prefera
BILE to that of pond, the ice on which
has to be broken in cold weather in order
to permit stock to get it, and then per-
haps wade through snow banks on their
return to stable or yard.
With an abundance Of good food,
warm stables and plenty of water, there
need be but few, if any, poor or sickly
animals in spring. Tt is to be regretted,
however, that these things are not uni
versally provided hence the annual loss
of thousands of animals, and far greater
number whose gaunt sides and almost
protruding bones afford unmistakable
signs of months of shameful neglect
Mo-, VonZ. C,,oo