FARM WATER SUPPLIES. 



BY S. P. GATES. 



The question of the development of adequate and dependable 

 water supplies for farms, situated beyond the limits of municipal 

 supplies in Massachusetts, is yearly becoming a more serious prob- 

 lem. Until recent years most farms in the Bay State have depended 

 for their water supply upon one or more dug wells or springs which, 

 according to local traditions, " have never been known to go dry." 

 Many farms are dependent entirely upon such sources for their water 

 supply to-day. It is conceded that many of these old wells and 

 springs which thrive only when moisture is abundant and the rain- 

 fall plenty, " never did go dry," prior to a decade ago. In those 

 years a few hogsheads of water a day, obtained oftentimes under 

 difficulty, sufficed for all requirements. 



To-day the progi-essive farmer is seeking to obtain the advantage 

 of certain luxuries on the farm, common to city homes, and the water 

 consumption for domestic purposes alone has increased to a surpris- 

 ing extent. Beyond this, and of si^ecial vital importance from an 

 agricultural standpoint, the problem of an abundant water supply 

 for irrigating purposes is frequently a most perplexing and serious 

 one. This is due to the fact that the demands upon these surface 

 supplies are greatest in seasons of the year when, because of climatic 

 conditions, the least amount of water is available. Surface springs 

 and dug wells are supplied by the immediate rainfall, and, such 

 being the case, the shortage of water from these supplies can be 

 more readily understood after studying the official reports bearing 

 upon the rainfall in Massachusetts, as prepared by the State Board 

 of Health. 



These observations were taken upon the Sudbury River water- 

 shed, and show the average rainfall for periods of five years since 

 1890. 



Inches. 



1890 to 1894, 46.56 



1895 to 1899, 46.72 



1900 to 1904, 48.16 



1905 to 1909, 41.81 



1910 to 1911, 37.01 



