The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-01-31
FARM AND GARDEN.


Next to warm shelter and good feed, the
prooer watering of cattle should be attended
10. No farm animals will do well II only
watered once day. 1t is true That ahimais
which are driven to some frozen ponu anu
watered through holes cut IN the ice VIII SCI
dom in cold weather drink more than once a
day, for the simple reason that they must SUI,
fer from thirst to be induced to drink at
all; but this does not, by any means, prove
the economy of this system OF watering, but
rather the reverse. To prove it, let the stock
owner himself get down and drink this
thoroughly chilled water. The evidence Of
danger to the system will be apparent.
Ifthere are but few ANIMALS to be waered,
it is but little labor to do the work, since the
water for dozen or twenty cattle can DC
Dumped in about the time the cattle will
drink it. If large herd be kept, simple
windmill pumping into an underground
cistern placed upon an emlnence and connect
ing by means OF underground pipes with the
trough in the yard at less elevation, will
suffice to supply any number Of cattle or other
stock. The outlay, other than the first eX-
pense will be but small If this be impracti-
cable, tank may be built of sufficient eleva-
ton and enclosed SO that it shall be practi-
cally frost proof when it will work day and
night, winter and summer, when the wind
blows land when does it not in the west . and
y
siderable herd is to be watered
For years, we had such u mill that turn-
ished water from fifty feet well, which sup
Piled the house, 500 to 600 swine, twelve
horses and ten cows besides furnishing water
for the green house and hot beds Of over 6OO
sashes, which latter alone, IN the spring. used
to require the work of one man with horse
to water. We simply state this to show the
amount of water a good sized mill Will pump.
The great advantage Of iiiiS system .! water
ing is, that the water may be carried III com
mon iron gas-pipes wherever you want, ana
the water is never thoroughly chilled, so as to
distress stock in drinking. Consequently
they take it just when they want it, and
usually in small quantities at time. They
are thereby saved the ague chill that usually
occurs after the periodical filling up under
the system as praCtlCed by too many OF our
farmers. There Is no doubt that, with proper
watering and warm shelter in winter, all farm
animal, would come out from twenty-five to
fifty per cent better than they now do. we
have proved this proposition to our perfect
satisfaction by experience in fattening cattle.
The proposition will hold good with other
stock. Ii will pay to give farm stock-trst,
warm shelter; second, plenty Of good forage {;
and third but not least, water to drink at Will,
certainly twice day, and then never chilled
to the freezing point.
Our correspondent, "G W. L." of Delaware,
Iowa sends us valuable hint with respect
to the watering of cattle in winter He says:
"Many farmers water their stock from wells,
and in the winter time they experience con
siderable difficulty by the accumulation of
ice around the trough. Many times cattle,
even though very dry, will go away without
drinking rather than venture on such slip
perry place to get water. have a very simple
and cheap remedy: Take an armtul or Two of
straw, scatter it over the ice, and sprinkle
over it some water, which soon freezes fast, and
the remedy is complete" y Western RUrM