The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-12
Water.

There is embraced IN this COM
mon and usually word
thousands of times the Importance
that is generally credited 10 II. i
We take a small quantity Of II AMI
subject il to "A careful chemical
ANALYSIS. We viii be lost in wonder
ment when We see the Immense
amount Of impurities, under orui-
NARY circumstances, ii conta rs. 1t
is plainly then a matter OF the
greatest Importance that We fully
understand the nature OF the VA
ter used, it matters not what use
NAV be made Of it. Many intelli-
gent persons mistake transparency
or purity, while others think that
because water happens to be soft 1t
is pune, as a natural sequence 4: but
there is ample opportunities to be
mistaken III either case.
Rain water is probably the pnr
est known. Springs which are
formed BY rain water percolatlng
through beds Of sand or a %graveliy
soil. are often almost perfectly
pure. River water IS generally
soft. but contains more or less of
animal and vegetable impurities.
Well water is generally hard, be
no impregnated with earthly salts.
particularly sulphate of lime and
bicarbonate Of lime. Marsh and
lake waters are usually very m
pure. Sea water contains an
average of three and a half per
cent. Of saline impurities. Mineral
waters are famous for their medlcl-
nal ctriues, precisely IN proportion
to the extent of their l~Mpurttles.
Many persons are annually poison
ed BY the "melicinal properties I"
water, beer, soda, porter, ale, &C.,
have acquired by standing IN me-
tallic vessels or leaden pipes.
Water conveyed through metal
tubes should always be allowed to
run some before any is drank.
With this short dissertation upon
the impurities Of water and OF
what they consist, the question
naturally arises how it may be rem
dered pure and wholesale to take
into the body. To this we answer,
By filtration. This will remove all
the impurities suspended IL COM
mon water, but not those substan-
ces held IN solution.
A very cheap and efficient filter
NAV be constructed in a few mo.
ments at a cost of only a few cents.
Procure a clean flower pot, of the
common kind; close the opening II
the bottom with a piece OF sponge
then place in the inside a layer o
small stones, previously well cleaned
By washing; this layer may be abou
two inches deep, the upper ones
being very small. Next procure
some freshly burned charcoal
which has not been kept IN a dam
or foul place, as it rapidly absorb'
any strong smells and SO become
tainted and unit for use /; reduc,
this to a fine powder, and with
twice its bulk of clear, shark sand
with this mixture fill the pot t.
within a short distance Of the top
covering with a layer of small
stones, or, what is perhaps better
place a piece of thick flannel owe
i it large enough to tie around tn
rim of the pot outside and to form
e a hollow inside, into which tn
water to be filtered is to be poured
and which will be found to HoV
out quite rapidly through tn
opening in the bottom in an excel
lent state Of purify. The flame
S removes the grosser impurltie
: floating in the water: but the lat
y Ter absorbs much of the decayin
J. animal and vegetable matter actu
: ally dissolved in it when 1t be
n comes charged with them it lose
e its power. hence the necessity of
y supply Of fresh charcoal at inter
IL walls.
n There are many other plans
e iltering water in small %quantltie:
5 but this, we think, is the simple;
n rs we'll as the cheapest metho
/ known. In a future number "
IS shall have something to say wit
reference to filtering the cisterl
IS but as they are usually constructe
II before this time, and it beln
h something of a job to add the II
e ter, the foregoing must suffice Il
the present, but above all things
not drink or allow the animals
$ drink impure water.
a. A Batch of Trie1 Recipe