WATER IN AGRICULTURE. 165 



tially the same. The water obtained from the 

 sources named is pure water; that drawn from 

 springs and wells usually containing a few grains 

 in the gallon of organic and inorganic matter, de- 

 rived from the soil through which it percolates. 

 This is all the difference. From whence comes 

 the water found in milk ? Manifestly it is derived 

 from the grasses of the pasture, the hay from the 

 mow, and from the water drank by the animal. 

 This all passes into the economy, and serves to 

 dilute the various active principles upon which its 

 value as food depends. Without dwelling upon 

 those interesting points which relate to the chem- 

 istry of milk, let us consider the various forms of 

 food best calculated to promote a copious secretion 

 of the fluid in the animal. 



During a period of two years I made some care- 

 ful and interesting experiments upon a herd of ten 

 cows, which are kept upon my farm. The results 

 of these experiments go to show what a vast differ- 

 ence exists in the value of the feed of pastures 

 apparently similar in soil and situation ; also the 

 difference in the green or succulent plants which 

 are grown as food for cows, to be used in the late 

 summer and early autumn months. By changing 

 my herd of animals in the month of June, from 

 one hill pasture to another, only a hah mile apart, 

 where the grasses were equally abundant, I found 



