The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-23
The Water Supply Of Farms.

During the past few years much at
tention has been devoted to the matter
of supplying large towns with an abund-
Ance of pure water. In some instances
the water has been conducted twenty or
thirty miles, in order to obtain that
which contains few impurities Great
attention has also been given to its dis
tribution, so that the poor may have it
in abundance aud at a small cost. Nj
merous filters have been invented and
brought into general use. Special pains
have been taken to furnish pure running
water. not only for horses, but for dogs.
In many cities costly fountains have
been erected in parks and along the
streets where there is the most travel,
so that horses, dogs and men may at
any time quench their thirst without
trouble or loss of time. On most farms.
however, there has been little improve
ment in the matter of supplying water
for domestic purposes or for the use of
stock. The pump has generally taken
the place of the old-fashioned we'll
sweep and bucket, and the number of
wind-mills for the purpose of raising
water for stock has increased, particu-
larry in the best dairy districts. Little
attention, however, has been given to
utilizing the water afforded bv springs
and streams. 4 large proportion of the
wells on farms are in poor condition.
Their walls are formed of round stones
and a space exists between the wall and
the platform on which the curb rests.
Through this leaves, grass, dust and
small animals enter and contaminate
the water These wells are seldom
cleaned out iii their contents become
so offensive as to attract general atten-
ton. The filth that is allowed to accu-
mulate in farm wells, that supply water
not only to stock but to the members of
the household. is too sickening for con-
sideration.. 1t consists of al kinds of
decaying vegetable matter, including
manure, as well as of animal matter in
all stages of decomposition. Rabbits,
rats, mice. and various sorts Of reptiles
are not unfrequently drowned in wells
and remain there for many months.
The location of most wells that supply
water for household purposes is most
unfavorable for the purity of their con-
tents. They are, in many cases, near
the center of a space that has an out
house, pig-pen, cow-yard and the outlet
of sink-spout on the several corners.
There is no drain for carrying of the
surplus water, saturated, as it is. with
every variety of filth. Toe earth through
which the well passes may be tenacious
clay and in that instance it may be so
nearly impervious to moisture that little
of the surface water, with the various
substances dissolved in it, ever enters
1t. In many cases, however, the earth
through which the well passes is sand,
or largely composed of sand and gravel.
which allows surface water to pass
through it with the greatest readiness.
The location of wells from which
water is drawn for the supply of domes
tic animals is infinitely worse than that
of wells for furnishing water for human
beings. These wells are ordinarily in
some portion of the barnyard and are
often in the center of it. On every side
Of them are pools of stagnant surface
water-the washings of the barnyard.
The walls, platforms and curbings OF
these wells receive less attention than
those of the wells from which water is
obtained for the use of the household.
The well from which water is drawn
for stock is rarely cleaned out till the
water it furnishes becomes so vile that
xuimals will not drink it unless they are
compelled to do so by being deprived
from access to web or stream.
Still this water becomes converted
into milk, which. as a matter of course,
contains all the impurities taken up by
the cows with their drink. These i'm
purities pass into cream and from that
into butter. This being the case. it
should be no marvel that most of the
batter made on farms, and especially
z5izt made during the season that cows
ere kept in close quarters, has an IN