CHAPTER XVI 



WATERING THE COWS 



T CANNOT see how cows can be healthy and 

 •*■ the milk pure, when the former are allowed 

 constantly to drink bad water. Yet a farmer will 

 say, "This water isn't fit for house use, but it is 

 all right for the cows" ; or he may allow them to 

 drink from stagnant pools covered with green 

 slime, and in which the cattle stand. If such pools 

 are in the pasture, they should be fenced around. 

 Cattle standing in theni get their legs and udders 

 covered with slime and filth, which dries and is 

 certain to find its way into the milk pail. 



Cows sometimes seemingly prefer such water 

 to that from a spring or well. This is usually be- 

 cause it is warmer. Cattle have an aversion to 

 taking a quantity of cold water into their stomachs. 

 Again, they may crave mineral matter, and the 

 dirty water contains more of that substance. 



Into every hundred pounds of milk the cow 

 puts eighty-seven pounds of water. Dishonest 

 milk-vendors might take note of this and not try 

 to improve on the already generous work of the 

 cow. 



This brings us to another point. A cow to keep 

 [looj 



