264 The Farmstead 



Streams or springs are often available for 

 summer, but they seldom supply ideal water 

 conditions in winter. Young animals, and es- 

 pecially cows in milk, should not be required to 

 drink water at a low temperature or be forced 

 to travel long distances for it in cold weather. 

 The only really satisfactory method of supplying 

 the domestic animals with water is to bring it 

 into the barn, and if the water in the pipes is 

 not under pressure, a small storage tank may be 

 placed in a mow and surrounded by straw. 

 Such storage tank may be built, if small, out of 

 rough 2 -inch plank, spiked together, or, if 

 large, of 2- by 4-inch scantling, spiked flatwise 

 one upon the other; in both cases the tank is 

 lined with galvanized iron. All barns provided 

 with steam boilers should also be provided with 

 a few small steam pipes leading to the water 

 boxes, that the drinking water of the animals 

 may be raised in winter to 98" Fahr. 



Animals do not relish lukewarm water in the 

 winter, but they really enjoy hot water. The 

 economy and safety of using hot drinking water 

 will justify the expense of providing it. This is 

 especially true in the winter dairy and when 

 horses have severe winter work. An overheated, 

 tired horse may drink all the hot water he de- 

 sires without danger. Water taken into the 

 stomach at 40° Fahr. must absorb heat enough 



