St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-05-25
DRAINS AND clSTERNS.


of Every Farm Aoaso.
The opening TO our waste-water drain
Il in the kitchen floor; it is funnel
shaped. eighteen inches wide at the
top. SO that tub OF suds or rinse water
can be poured into it at once without
splashing the floor. Our cistern is un-
der the kitchen floor and the overflow
pipe from the cistern empties into this
drain. The cistern pump is in the
kitchen and not more than three steps
from the stove. II it should be neces-
sary We could put a barrel OF water on
the stove in two minutes, and empty
the same in two seconds. Water runs
down hill in this part of the country.
and l am too old to think it sport to
trundle a slop-barrel. Igreatly prefer
to empty the waste water at once into
this drain and be done with it. am
afraid Of sewer gas. know its l:,adly
effects and that it is sending its victims
to the grave all over the country. But
modern civilization has learned how to
manage dangerous things. The gas trap
Is effectually shuts of gas as the steam
guage does steam. think there is very
little gas forms in my drain; little mate
rial that would make food for pigs goes
into it, and it is washed out SO frequent
ly that no decaying matter has time to
generate gas. II the rainfall here is
thirty-six inches. more than five hum
dred and fifty barrels of water fall on
our roof during the year. all Of which
passes through this drain.
This drain does not run more than
six rods until it connects with my field
drainage. and from thence down 1t is
completely flushed with every rain that
nils the soil. But let no one ever think
Of putting in . drain without u gas
trap. Mine is an S'shaped piece OF
glazed tile made at Akron. think it
cost one dollar. It stands full OF water
all the time. effectually blocking the
way against gas. yet presenting no
impediment to the flOw OF water. An
other thing necessary is coarse
strainer in the funnel to catch any thing
that would obstruct the drain. This is
also made at the tile factory. This
drain has been in use seven years. and
we should hardly know how to keep
house without it. When water is
abundant. and right at your hand. and
it costs no labor to dispose Of the waste.
q family soon learns to use double the
amount it would If it cost more labor
to obtain it I do not like to perform
my oblutions in a few pints OF water.
l want a good quantity. and to 60 at it
with the gusto Of muddy gander.
Every farmers kitchen should be
supplied with soft water without stint.
This thing Of rain barrel and a board
under the caves. or a long trough at
the back part Of the house. where the
women can chop ice in the winter. and
breed mosquitoes in the summer. is
seen too often. l said to one of the
natives who was using this kind OF
water for drinking. that it contained
too many ''wiggle-tails" (young mos
quitos) for me. He said Il strain it
through my teethi" Ihave seen the
Of family with IN old shawl
over her head running around in ihe
rain placing vessels under the caves
The tub and pals, and all the spare
.rOcks. and sometimes the churn-
while the man quietly chewed his
luid. and he would have been very in
iignant if anybody had suggested that
ne was not q model husband and did
rot do his whole duty to his wife and
'amily. These things are written with
the hope that It may stir up few
more OF our farmers to build cisterns.
This is not an arid country; there is
enough rain falling on every home in
he land to keep its inmates clean. If a |
is prOvieed for its storage.
}. N. Aud. in Ohio Farmer.