162 FISH CULTURE. 



A few pairs of the larger fish should be left as 

 breeders, with whatever fry may exist ; but the 

 middle-sized fish should be taken out — that is, the 

 fish from two to four or five pounds. Carp, for 

 example, grow slowly up to about three-quarters of 

 a pound weight, when they seem to strike out and 

 grow very rapidly up to five or six pounds, if food be 

 plentiful and the water of good temperature. From 

 this onwards they grow again much more slowly, and 

 the fish take up, when large, more space than they are 

 worth ; for these large carp are also unmarketable, the 

 fish from two to five pounds being best for the table, 

 the large ones being apt to get woolly and tasteless. 



Mr. Simeon, in his most able and interesting work, 

 " Stray Notes on Fishing, &c," gives a very good 

 account of the operations of Mr. Maltby, our Vice- 

 Consul at Brussels, who has several ponds in that 

 locality for the rearing of fish. From this account 

 valuable data may be derived. Mr. Maltby, it seems, 

 does not rely altogether upon his own breed of fish, 

 but buys others of the best and most approved breeds, 

 to introduce from time to time into his waters, thus 

 crossing the breeds. According to Mr. Simeon, Mr. 

 Maltby finds the Tench perhaps the most valuable 

 pond-fish of any, being the most delicate and free 

 from any muddy flavour ; and in this estimate I 



