The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-07-07
among thr f0rmry5,
The Water Supply Of Farms.

The Water Supply of Farms.
AT Il time when many farms in the .
prairie regions ut the west are under
water, rs Tie soil Gu them is too wet
fer profitable working as for the ger
minatlon of seeds, IT may seem odd !
to argue that our farms have, as
rule. an inadequate supply Of water.
Still such is the fact, for the chances
arc that we shall have tr wait only a |
few weeks before cattle will be suffer- !
in~ for water on many of these ia'ms. /
On most dairy farms there is an album
dance of water supplied by spring
streams or wells for the use of the
cattle on them. for daryn,cn have as
crrlainrd that it will not do to limit
tn" supply of water afforded to COWS
that are giving milk. They have
learned. too, that the water must be
of The best quality, for unless it is,
the milk and the butter and cheese
made from it will be of bad quality.
They have also found ont that cows
that 90 not have good supply of
water at all times soon fall off in gen.
rral condition and fail to he pro!ita--
bic.
\ dairyman viii ordinarily select
farm that contains springs or streams
that afford a supply OF water without
. the Trouble or expense of raising it.
If natnlc does not supply the desired
amount and quality Of water. he gees
tovolk to obtain it by artificial means.
II" digs wells, very deep ones if nee
r>sary, and crrctS wind mills to raise
the water to he surface of the ground.
He often airangrs to have water
brought into the stables, SO that his
cows may obtain it without inc"n-
yrnicncr. Sometimes he sinks Artc-
sian Wells, and conveys The water
they afford to different pastures, or
. different parts of one large pasture.
You never find a dairynan driving
his herd of COWS half il mile to get a
drink. or limiting !hcirtimr for drink
ing to once in the morning and once
IL, night. He knows hat water is
quite as essential as grass, hay, and
meal for the production OF milk. y
few good stock raisrrs and beef pro-
duccrs are equally IaiuStakin@ about
the matter Of supplying their stock
with water.
) On most farms, however. there is a
/ lack Of wafer for stock. Some farm
! crs lave an idea that it is not Hcces-
Sary to water cattle oftcner than
: twice every twcilty-tour hours. Many
) farmers who ocrnpy one hundred
and sixty acres of land have but one
: we'll and no way of raising the water
! in it except Il bucket or common hand
t pump. Water obtained by means q!
difficult as this is yrudsinSly supplied
= to cattle, and the consequence Is the,
5 are often thirsty, they gain slowly
| give IL small amount OF milk, and at
! in poor condition. Some lazy sheep
i owners have argued that sheep re
5 puirc no water, and that they iin'
e all the moisture they require in tn
II dew on the y,aSs they eat. The pro
dnccrs of first -cla>s mutton, or first
s class wool, however, always have
. liberal supply fwatrr for their flock
'e and it isa wcll-knowE fact that shcc
% will drink as much water according
to their size as oxen or horses will.
e Any animals that are obliged to :,
half mile to get a drink will Ottc
1t be very thirsty. The time al
strength they cxpcnd in walking tn
distance hi yht he employed to bette
,r purpose. Sometimes farmer Ell
lcavnrs to cconomizc in the matter {
- digging wells by having one some
=" where between the house aud IL
" Stale. This well is generally yrl
", inconXcnicnt for both. The time spc'
~, l." in going from the house to the We
- in Il single year would be more tn;
\, sufficient to Dig a well. The wat
-" brought in the course OF lively
=, months would weigh more than t.
=" stone necessary to wall up the we
ny There is II" economy in having a We
=" ~ situated in this way, unless Ilvl'
10 ~ water is very deep, in which case
-, ~ should be raised by wind powt
W. There should be number of we
~, on every farm that contains mo
H." than forty acres. in most places
n IL. does not require mnch time or mon
W to sink well and wall it up.
10 many localities a drive we'll may
y: nut down for -. The more we
III u. there are on IL farm the more conv.
,, ''S lent it will be and the better will
'"' the condition of the stock.