WATER-SUPPLY ON THE FARM.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 5, 20 May 1916, Page 361

WATER-SUPPLY ON THE FARM.

UTILIZING SPRINGS.

JOHN D. RITCHIE. The matter of a pure and ample water-supply for domestic and live-stock purposes is one that does not receive from the farming community the attention that its importance warrants. During the recent prolonged dry weather experienced in a large part of the South Island the want of water, especially for stock, was very

severely felt, and considerable losses resulted. Dams, which at the best are merely makeshifts and harbours for parasites, were in many instances dry, and even the - flow from springs was greatly diminished. It is to be deplored that greater , use is not made of the source of - water-supply furnished by springs. ; If properly conserved, the merest trickle will go a long way to keep a trough full. The cost of draining and providing a trough should not be great. The site for the trough, where the configuration of the country will allow

of the draining of the springs by gravitation, should be fixed on solid ground and, if. possible, face the north. The drain should be carried a little beyond the apparent source of supply, otherwise the spring may. not be properly tapped. Ordinary field - drainpipes are suitable, but where the flow is limited second-hand glazed pipes will be better. Stones should be used to fill up the drain at the source, and if plenty are available a layer on top of the field-pipes will be an advantage. Manuka scrub will serve this purpose if stones are not available. The inlet-pipe into the trough itself should be of metal. The photos here shown, taken at two well-known South Canterbury and North Otago stations on which the method now described

is extensively and successfully used, will give some' idea of how the troughs and their surroundings should be constructed. If . concrete is used for the troughs, then the back and side walls should be of the same material. Where the inlet-pipe passes through the wall care should be taken to see that it does not rest on the solid, for it may sink slightly as the drain settles, and may, besides, have to be renewed. Concrete troughs, should be about 14 ft. long by 2 ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. wide, and not exceeding 1 ft. deep. Wooden troughs cannot well be made so wide, and should measure, say, 14 m. at top and 10 in. at bottom. It is very essential that an overflow drain should be provided and carried well away from the trough. The ground in front' of .. the trough should be concreted or laid with stones, so as to prevent puddling by the stock.