The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-12-23
THE FARM AND HOME.
CONTAMINATION O.
COUNTRY WELLS.
What Does Your Drinking Water Con-
tain:-Sweet and Sour Milk for
Pigs-Broad Tires-Farm
Notes-H0me 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 we'll
from which family's supply of water
is obtained. A salt of lithium, which
can readily be detected in water, was
sown upon plot of ground $50 feet
from well-a matter of q 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 ~ rods is a
long distance from a we'll 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, 1atural
drain pipes. if one may so speak of
them. that exist in the soil, and had
thus found its way into the water of
| the we'll.
| There is an impression prevalent in
some quarters that even though i'm
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 a knowledge of the geolog-
lcal 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 Law
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 shell, so that
as result of disintegration we get a
layer of sandy soil underlain
by 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 i'm purities,
reaches layer more or less impervious
it is either held there if the imper-
vlous layer forms somewhat of basin
or spreads out in all directions if the.
layer is horizontal, or flows along it's
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 ma ture of the
formations underlying the region
about ones house, but there are some
surface indications that give consider
able light on the condition of things
below the tor of the ground. Slipping
ground very commonly indicates
bending down of the layers or strata
| of which the soil is composed where
the drainage from the stable could bv
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
~ settle in the direction of the we'll.
provided one of the strata be some
what impervious to water. The dan
ger OF such a 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 lmpervious stratum is present, may
carry the drainage of the basin into
any we'll 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 supplv
may readily become a source of dis
ease. and so constitute a perpetual
menace to the health of the family.
Sweet and Sour Milk for Pigs.
Nature feeds the pig on sweet milk.
feeds it warm and feeds it often. Ma
ture, therefore, teaches the value