164 FISH CULTUEE. 



to answer. The reason of this is that the droppings 

 of the rooks, which are very considerable, contain a 

 large percentage of lime, which is very prejudical to 

 fish. 



The best fish for ponds are Carp, Tench, Jack, 

 and Bream. It is always well, even in carp and 

 tench ponds, to have a few brace of jack among the 

 carp and tench, for the purpose of keeping the fry 

 down, so that they may not devour too much of the 

 food from the larger fish. The proportions recom- 

 mended by Mr. Boccius, who is an authority upon 

 this subject, having written a work upon it, are 200 

 brood carp, twenty brood tench, and twenty brood 

 jack to the acre, the best time of stocking being the 

 end of October ; and this, as he points out, is a 

 matter of some importance. 



With regard to the growth of Pike, I have been 

 much astonished, in looking over Mr. Simeon's work, 

 to find the following remarkable statement, which 

 I give literatum. It will be seen, that a good and 

 constant supply of fresh water, and that of as warm 

 a temperature as may be reasonably gained, are very 

 favourable matters to the growth of fish. He is 

 speaking of Mr. Maltby's undertaking : — 



" Although both lakes, La Hidpe and Boilsfut, are 

 fairly well supplied by springs and natural streams, 



