The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-08-30
PuRR WATER ON THR FARM.

PURE WATER ON The FARM.
The Importance of pure water for the
family and live stock is not generally
appreciated. In a newly-settled coun.
try the danger Of deflement of water
through filth accumulations in the soil
is not 80 great. As region becomes
thickly populated we may say the dan
ger Of water def cement increases with
the increase of population and the
number Of animals kept on the farms
or in villages. The danger on old
farms and in viIleges and towns where
the problem Of sewerage, paving and
water supply has not been solved by
the corporation is so constant that not
a year passes without outbreaks of
typhoid fever, diphtheria or other
filth diseases. The farm supply of
water is 40 largely under the control
of the farmer, says The Breeders Ga
zette, that he is not the victim of the
carelessness of his neighbor as is the
dweller in the undrained village or
town. Hence if the farmers family is
visited with diseases originating in inn
pure water or defective drainage or I'm
clean management OF his premises he
cannot lay the blame on his neighbors
or a mysterious providence. In dairy
districts the responsibility of a seller of
milk is not limited to his own family.
He is in a sense his brothers or patrons
keeper. That typhoid fever is go often
traced to dairy farms and dairies that
supplied the victims of the disease with
milk makes the responsibility of the
milk seller broad and serious. The
water supply Of dairy farm is very
soon contaminated unless more than
ordinary care is taken to prevent its
defilement So long as farmers and
dairymen sink wells in the barn or
barn lots there will be increasing
chances of impure water. These wells
are too often placed in the lowest part
of the lot where there is least labor in
sinking the we'll. The wall is laid with
loose stones and not raised high enough
to allow sufficient grading to carry off
even the surface water. In wet time
the water level of the we'll rises from
the influx of water from the barn yard
and manure piles After one euch
soaking of the soil the water from such
we'll becomes a constant danger to
the health of animals and unfortunate
users of the milk from such dairy.
The abnormal rainfall Of this spring
has carried aged fiitn into many such
wells, and when the dry season comes,
and the supply Of water i, low, the per
cent. of filth carried in each bucket of
such water is enough to start pestil-
encs. Such wells are cheap and con-
venient, we know, but are they safe
and cheap in the long run9 The cost
of one funeral will exceed the cost of
we'll constructed we'll or filter and
cistern.
Whether one shall have a well or
cistern at the barn or dwelling is
usually a question of first cost. Bs
cause of their greater expense there
are few who secure perfect drainage
around the home or barn and trust to
providence that the we'll or cistern
may not be defiled, If instead Of wall
ing up wells with loose stone we will
wall them with vitritied tile and care
fully tamp the ground around them,
using clay that will pack we'll, and IN
fl 1ishing uso one or two j01nts above
the level Of the land around and then
grade up to secure quick surface
drainage for twenty or thirty feet
around the we'll, we can feel that such
we'll is in all human probability cate
from surface contamination. We have
one such and Fl nd the first cost less
than to have used stone or brick. With
surface drainage and thorough tamp
ing around each tile as it was put down,
we have great confidence in the water.
A brother has filtered cist9rns that are
superior to the average we'll or cistern.
The water ia clear and after the first
year is free from any favor of cement.
If care ia taken not to let IN the sum