THE CONSTRUCTION OF PONDS. 79 



shores of ponds may be planted with various 

 species of the more aquatic Iris, or sword-leaf 

 lilies. All of the former should be planted in 

 the water near the margin. These are all beau- 

 tiful flowering plants, and will flourish in such 

 situations. 



Great care should be had in constructing 

 dams, with reference to strength and durability. 

 There should be an ample spill in case of floods, 

 with strong wire screens to prevent the escape 

 of the fish; these screens may be made of iron 

 wire of ^ inch diameter, cut in pieces of a 

 length equal to the de]3th of the spill; this may 

 be one foot or more ; these rods should then be 

 set at equal distances from each other in a frame 

 of wood, and close enough to prevent the pas- 

 sage of the fish ; this frame is then to be se- 

 curely fastened at the outlet or spill. Screens 

 for young fish w^hen they are quite small, may be 

 made of wire cloth such as is used for selves, the 

 meshes of which should be small enough to pre- 

 vent their escape. 



