The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-10-30
NUMBER 10
FOR THE FARMER.
An Ample supply of Good Drinking Water
one OF the Essentials to Success
on Farm.
How to Prepare sheep for Marketable
Best Time for Wool Growing.
Pastures Supplied with
Shade Trees.

DRINKING WAITE On FARMS.
One of the first requirements of sue
cess on farm, says the report of the
Massachusetts experimental station,
consists in ample supply of good wa
ter. Purity of the water used, for
drinking in particular, is CT vital inn
portance. Cities and towns usually
have their organizations for the sup
ply of water. and they exact certain
guarantees regarding tue quality fur
nished for their use. The farmer, liv-
ing as rule more isolated on his farm,
j., in this respect largely left to his own
counsel. His chances for obtaining
rood water from springs, and for pro-
I, citing his walls against the access of
obnoxious matters by iniiltrations and
Otherwise, are, in the majority of
cases, quite favorable, if intelligenlly
turned to account.
A satisfactory supply of good
drinkingwater depends, in controll-
ing degree. on a judicious selection of
the location of the well designed for
the use of the family and for the live
stock, and OH the personal attention
bestowed from time TO time on the con
dition of the latter and its surround
ngs. Wells may be badly located in
the start, or may become exposed to
contamination by subsequent changes
in the surroundings. Good wells are
liable to change for the worse at any
time, OIL account of circumstances too
numerous 10 state in this connection.
To periodically ascertain the exact con-
diiion of the well which supplies the
wants of the family and of the live
for any length Of time discard, without
mourning serious risk in health and
prosperity. The subject receives, quite
frequently, but little attention, on ac-
count of the fact that tho harmful
qualities, which an apparently good
water may contain, are disguised he
y0nd recognition by the unaided SEN
SOS. Certain delicate chemical tests,
aided at times by microscopical OBJ
servations, are, in the majority of
cases. the only reliable means, in our
present state of the sciences. by which
desirable information regarding the
true character of drnking-water can
he obtained.
ihSSO tOot''ii iiNot w
although OF the greatest Importance
from general standpoint, have their
limitations. They readily indicate the
presence of organic matters, but give
10 uufailing decision regarding their
origin, whether animal or vegetable,
leaving thus, quite frequently, the
degree of their harmfulncss quite I'M
decided. However, the chemical an
alysis may be depended upon for all
practical purposes, as revealing the
presence OF Objectionable qualities of
the water. the harmful substances
found in drinking-water are of two
classes, mineral and organic. Few
natural waters are entirely free from
mineral matters; nearly all contain
small quantities of lime, soda. mag
nesia, and iron, Substances which
may be considered harmless in that
case. Larger quantities of these ele-
ments, however, render the water OBJ
jectionable for drinking, and also more
or less unfit for various applications.
as washing aud cooking, feeding of
steam apparatus, etc.
Foremost among the dangerous min
eral substances which have been found
in drinking-water is the lead. Its
presence is usually due to the use of
lead pipes for conducting the water
from the well to the pump and else
where. Lead is treacherous and dan
gerous poison. Not trace should be
tolerated in drinking-water The use
OF lead pipes for conducting the latter.
for either Of the abovc-stated purposes
should be strictly prohibited by state
law. Arsenic and copper are rarely
met with in natural waters; yet care
less handling of paris green is at any
time apt to become most dangerous in
this direction. These three metals
lead, copper, and arsenic-are direct
poisons TO the animal system, and
therefore are the most dangerous min
eral impurities in drinking-water,
though ordinarily rare. The most fire.
qucnt source of danger comes evident
'ly from the presence of organic matter,
indicating contamination by decaying
animal or vegetable substances. Wells
are not infrequently found polluted by
the gases and liquids emanating from
sinks, privies, cesspools, and farm
yards.