WATER SUPPLY FOR THE FARM. 537 



Hydraulic Rams. For the purpose of forcing water to a height greater than that 

 of the source from which it is obtained, this simple and inexpensive power is admirably 

 adapted. To those having no spring above the level of the house, but one below it, that they 

 wish to utilize, this little machine will be found useful in bringing the water to the desired 

 locality. It can be made to force about one-eighth of the water that flows through it up a 

 steep hill a&quot;nd through a pipe a long distance, taking it even to a reservoir in the attic of the 

 house, if desired. Water discharged from the constantly running pipes of some under- 

 drained lands is sometimes utilized and conveyed to barns by this means. 



Wind-mills, however, are at present more commonly employed for this purpose. They 

 are inexpensive, and with good care will often last many years. A recent writer says that 

 he has used the hydraulic ram for supplying his house with water from a spring for more 

 than thirty years, and during that time has only had two rams, the one he is now using being 

 apparently good for many years to come. He says: 



&quot; Repairs have cost me, about once in eighteen months or two years, five or ten cents for 

 a leather valve inside the air chamber, and once in about six or eight years a new brass 

 plunger valve, costing about five dollars.&quot; 



The illustration which we insert of an improved implement of this kind, by Joseph 

 Beck & Sons, Boston, is a good representation of this little machine in operation. 



A correspondent of the Scientific American gives the following directions for increasing 

 the power and capacity of hydraulic rams: &quot;Drill or file a small hole, say one-thirty-second 

 of an inch in diameter, in the supply pipe about a foot above the place where it enters the 

 ram. At every stroke of the ram a small stream will be discharged from this orifice. This 

 at first sight would seem to decrease the power rather than augment it, but when the reaction 

 takes place in the pipe there seems to be a small quantity of air sucked in, and this air is 

 probably liberated from the water when it reaches the air chamber, thus increasing the pres 

 sure. At least this seems to be the most feasible explanation. Certain I am that I have 

 repeatedly tried this plan, and find it to increase materially the power of the ram.&quot; 



Wind-mills. These have for a long time been employed as a motive power for the various 

 purposes of farm use in many portions of Europe. In this country their use has been, until 

 recently, confined almost exclusively to California and some of the other Western States. 

 They are at present, however, being introduced to other sections, where they prove very 

 cheap and efficient aids in various ways, such as pumping water, grinding grain, threshing, 

 sawing wood, shelling corn, cutting hay, straw, or other fodder for cattle, churning, turning 

 a grindstone, etc., including nearly all that can be done by hand or horse-power. 



In many portions of Europe they are used both for draining and irrigating lands. They 

 are especially useful for pumping water, or any similar work that does not require the con 

 stant attention of a person. They require neither food nor fuel, work constantly except in 

 calms, and are self-regulating. They can run during the night as well as day, performing 

 such labor as does not require attention, such as pumping water, grinding grain, etc. ; con 

 sequently this will make up for loss of time in calms. But they are at the present time so 

 perfected in their construction as to run with ease in very light winds. 



By the use of a windmill, water can be furnished at any desired place, and by making a 

 tank sixteen feet long, eight feet wide, and two feet deep, a reservoir of nearly sixty barrels 

 can be kept filled by a mill, which will be a supply for occasional calms. The principal objec 

 tion to wind-mills has hitherto been their liability to get out of order, or blow down in a heavy 

 gale, and in not supplying a constant power. But these objections have been in a great 

 measure overcome by improvements that have been made, combining strength and lightness, 

 with an adaptability to utilize the lightest winds, and to be self-adjusting in a severe storm, 

 so as to prevent injury. They are without doubt the cheapest power the farmer can employ 

 on the farm. 



