Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-12-23
THE FARM AND HOME.
THE. CONTAMINA ATOM OF,
COUNTRY WELLS.
What Does Your Drinking Water Con-
tain?-Sweet and Sour MILK for
Pigs-Broad Tires-Farm
Notes-HoIne Hints.
Contamination of Wells.

Contamination of Wells.
A scientific experiment of great in
terest and Importance has been made
in Europe to demonstrate from what
distance impurities can be carried by
percolation through the soil from a
distant point upon its surface to well
from which family's supply of water
is obtained. A salt of lithium, which
can readily be detected in water, was
so;Vn upon plot of ground $50 feet
from a well-a matter of % rods. The
water from the well was daily exam
ined, and on the 18th day the unmis-
taxable presence of lithium was APP
parent in the water. Now 81 rods is a
long distance from a well as one
counts distances about his house, and
yet in less than three weeks a sub
stance from the surface of the ground
had been washed into the soil and had
been carried along the sloping, Eatural
drain pipes if one may so speak of
them, that exist in me soil, and had
thus found its way into the water of
the well.
There is an impression prevalent in
some quarters that even though inn
purities may exist upon the surface of
the earth about ones premises, that
all drainage from them soaks directly
down into the soil, and is therefore
rendered harmless The experiment
just mentioned shows how utterly un-
tenable is this idea, says the Country
Gentleman, and ought to set those
into earnest thought whose wells,
springs or other sources of water sup
ply are within possible erea of
pollution To understand how such
pollution as has been mentioned is
possible, knowledge of the geolog-
ical structure of soils from the surface
down to great depths is of importance.
The soil of the earth, it is TO be re-
membered, has been formed by the
disintegration of rock formations,
which most commonly existed in the
form of layers, laid down either in
horizontal or an inclined position. 1t
is also to be remembered that the lay
ers differed greatly in character, which
causes the layers of soil formed
from them to differ also greatly in
character. A layer of sandstone may
have overlain layer OF she'll, so that
rs result of disintegration we get a
aver of sandy soil underlain
oy a subsoil of clay. Many of
these layers are light and porous,
and allow water and solid matter
in solution to pass readily down
through them. When, however, this
water, laden, perhaps with impurities,
reaches a layer more or less impervious
it is either held there if the imper-
vious layer forms somewhat of basin
or spreads out in all directions if the
layer is horizontal, or flows along its
surface in one direction if the imper-
vious layer is at all inclined-as it is
quite sure to be- as level formations
are comparatively rare. Only investi.
cation by cutting deeply through the
soil will show the exact nature Of the
carnations underlying the region
about ones house, but there are some
surface indications that give consider
able light on the condition of things
below the top of the ground. Sloping
ground very commonly indicates a
bending down of the layers or strata
of which the soil is composed. where
the drainage from the stable could by
no possible means get to the we'll,
while any drainage from the house
would naturally be drawn off
towards the barn. In the case
where buildings are on level ground
there are few, if any, surface in
dications of what may be the danger
Gus condition of the soil that is shown
below the surface. There all the
drainage that soaks into the ground
about the barn and house will natural
ly settle in the direction of the well,
what impervious TO water. The dan
ger OF such situation must be ap.
parent especially in the light of the
results obtained in the lithium expert
ment A depression between two ele-
vations of ground indicates a basin
like formation of the strata, which, if
an inpervious stratum is present, may
carry the drainage of the basin into
any well that may be situated in it,
A consideration of all these things
show that unless intelligent care is ex-
ercised either in the location of wells,
or in the removal of any possible source
of contamination, the water supply
may readily become source of dis
ease, and SO constitute perpetual
menace to the health of the family
"