Necessity op Plenty of Pure Water. 27 



There are many ways of furnishing water to the herd. If 

 many are allowed to pasture together or are yarded in the 

 same winter quarters, it is an easy matter by having self- 

 watering fountains, as it would he necessary for only one 

 such fountain to be used in a covered shed or place where 

 forty to fifty animals were daily allowed to congregate. 

 Where animals are kept, as has been our custom, in yards 

 with only a few in each, it is quite a serious matter, as each 

 lot must either have a driaking fountain, or the animals 

 must be regularly watered each day, and during the cold 

 winter months no water must be left over night in the 

 trough to freeze. We have a self -watering fountain which 

 is connected with a forty-barrel supply tank so ar- 

 ranged that a lamp can be safely set under the drinking 

 cup and fountain, always keeping the water warm. This is 

 a very desirable fountain but could not be used where 

 there were forty or more lots with a few pigs in 

 each, unless there was a regular system of water pipes 

 running along through these lots and the cost would be so 

 great that it could hardly be afforded ; hence, outside of our 

 one or two adjoining large lots, we are obliged during the 

 extremely cold months to water each individual lot with 

 water that has been warmed. In southern states it is prob- 

 ably not necessary to use water that has had the chill taken 

 off — which is a much more desirable condition. 



There are other watering fountains on the market, for 

 use during the extremely cold weather, arranged with a 

 fire box for heating the reservoir above, with openings 

 along the drinking tank on either side; when perfected, 

 they will be a very desirable fountain to use, but as yet I 

 do not feel that they are really practical, and am waiting for 

 greater improvements. In the case of breeders who use a 

 central hog house, a pipe running along the troughs on 

 either side of the alley and back to the water heater is 

 very convenient to keep the chill off the drinking water, but 

 these are not common. It is a small matter in ivJiat waif 

 water is furnished daily to every hog and pig on the farm, 

 but it is of much importa/nce that it be furnished in some 

 way. 



