Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-20

cause great losses and often result in
financial ruin. There are on the farm
many leaks through which go out the
hard earnings OF the farmer. More
than any other, the loss from lost heat
should be guarded against. Heat costs
money. Every unit Of heat costs some
thing, according to the food from
which it is made. We may say then
that heat is money. To save the loss
of this heat is to save money, for II
will save food. Some farmers feed the
winds as we'll as their stock. every
loose board on barn is a means by
which the farmer feeds the wind. That
is, the cold filches away the heat from
the bodies of his animals. More farm
ers feed the waters. There are farmers
that are very careful to keep from
feeding the winds, and keep their barns
tight. But they DO not hesitate twice
a day to give their cattle icecold water
1t is not an uncommon sight to see a
cow drink three pailfuls of water at a
single time. When such water Is at a
temperature of about 80 degrees II
means that the water so consumed
must be raised to temperature OF over
80 degrees. In fact, we are told by
doctors that the digestive process stops
till the water has been raised to blood
heat. Think of the heat necessary to
raise water in a cows stomach to oo
degrees. Remember that that heat has
been made by feeding the COW food that
costs a great deal of money.
1t is certainly much cheaper to raise
the temperature by means of the loose
wood lying around the farm that costs
nothing but the effort to gather 1t. TO
build fire for the heating of water on
cold day is a pleasing operation. II
the heat from the fire reaches the cows
and other stock it will prove a pleas
ing operation to them as we'll as to the
farmer. The only cost is therefore the
first cost for boiler. But these may
be purchased at almost any price. The
well-to-do farmer that can afford to
purchase to suit his convenience and
fancy can pay high price If he wants
to. II not, he can do as the humber
farmer will most likely do-purchase
a good boiler at moderate price. The
saving in cost Of feed will prove big
interest on the investment. Remem-
Der this, that whereas farmer may
lose feed on account of cold winds, yet
there are many warm. sunny days in
winter, when he will lose little in this
way. But the man that loses feed on
account of icy water must expect that
loss every day in the winter season,
for the water supply does not change
its temperature as often as the air, nor
does it respond quickly to the change
in temperature. 1t is hidden away in
the ground, locked up with the frost,
or waiting in ice caves. When the
warm days in winter come the ice and
snow melt and make still colder these
waters. All of these are to be drank
by the stock. II we were to figure on
the matter, we would say that full
sized cow would lose several cents per
day If allowed to drink ice cold water.
When we consider that many farmers
have all the way from twenty to hun
bred COWS we can see what great loss
he must face during an entire winter
season. Dairymen especially should
see that their cows have, for drinking
purposes, only water that has been
raised to a suitable temperature.