584 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



pressure of the water from the receiving side, and the tendency to break down the middle 

 wall, which would be liable to occur, if empty, in a heavy storm, providing the wall was built 

 straight, since the water would enter so much faster than it could filter through. It will be 

 necessary to occasionally clean out the cistern, and substitute new filtering material, in order 

 to keep the water pure, as the sand, gravel, etc., will in a few months become filled with the 

 refuse substances taken from the water. 



Another method of filtering, is to build the brick wall forming the partition, to the bot 

 tom of the cistern, leaving no opening whatever between the two. In such cases the water 

 filters through the bricks, the bricks making a perfect filter, as is stated by those who have 

 used cisterns made in this way; but we should prefer the former mode, providing proper 

 care be taken to keep the filtering material clean. 



Wells. The common source of water supply among farmers is in the ordinary well, 

 which is, with but comparatively few exceptions, a permanent and unfailing one, even in 

 time of drouth. A well of good, pure water is something to be prized by anyone possessing 

 it, containing, as it does, the elements of comfort and health; for pure, cold water is truly a 

 luxury, aside from all sanitary considerations. We have said so much at the beginning of 

 this subject of water supply respecting the necessity of keeping wells free from surface 

 drainage, sewage contaminations, etc., that it will be unnecessary to repeat here; but we wish 

 to impress upon the minds of our readers that pure water is essential to health and impure 

 water is incompatible with health, either in man or beast, and one of the principal sources of 

 disease among mankind ; also, that the decomposition of animal matter in water, such as the 

 animal excreta from privy vaults, or barn-yards, are by far the most objectionable and 

 dangerous to the system of all impurities, often engendering the most fatal diseases. The 

 decomposition of vegetable matters is highly dangerous, acting as a poison upon the blood, 

 but not to the extent that animal substances are. It is also well to remember that these 

 poisonous substances will percolate through the soil for a long and sometimes almost an 

 incredible distance before being deposited in a well, and that water thus contaminated will 

 often be considered of the finest flavor and quality by those who drink it, the evil not being 

 detected by taste or smell. &quot;We have in mind a well of this kind in a certain city not far 

 from New York, which was located in one of the public parks. It was celebrated for the 

 delicious coolness of its water, as well as excellent flavor, which was clear and spark 

 ling. In warm weather people would often go out of their way quite a distance to get a 

 drink of it. Some of this water was finally analyzed by a competent chemist, and found to 

 contain a substance that could be traceable to no other source but urine, either human or 

 animal, and the well was ordered closed by the city authorities. The difficulty was after 

 wards found to be in the leakage of a city sewage pipe that passed several feet from the well. 

 We might give many similar instances, but state this simply to prove how easy it is for per 

 sons to be deceived respecting the quality of water, in taste, sight, or smell, and how very 

 important it is to take special care in preventing any contaminating substances whatever 

 from entering a well. It is a good plan to have the earth around a well brought up in the 

 form of a mound, to prevent surface water from running into it. A well should never be 

 located in a low spot of ground to receive such drainage. The higher the ground for the 

 well the better, other conditions being favorable. 



A cellar, or a locality near to a cellar, is also, for this reason, an objectionable place for 

 digging a well. It is not uncommon to see, in the country, a well for household purposes 

 located but a few feet from the barn-yard, so that in a wet season the drainage must of 

 necessity enter it. Wells should also be frequently examined, and occasionally cleaned out, 

 that the sediment, soil, and other substances that may have found an entrance there may be 

 removed. 



In digging wells, it is better to go to a sufficient depth to furnish an abundant supply of 



