REARING THE YOUx\G FRY. 1 63 



best, but I think that the earth from just under a toler- 

 ably rich sod is as good as any, if not better. It is a 

 very good way to put the whole sod in the trough or 

 box. The fish will get off of it what they want, and 

 the presence of the vegetable growth in the water is 

 favorable to their health. 



Muck I have sometimes thought the best, and it is said 

 to be the most powerful of earth absorbents, but I have 

 also had misgivings that the muck sometimes had 

 something injurious in it. It may be only a fancy, 

 however. At all events, the earth just under a fresh 

 green sod answers the purpose, and is good and whole- 

 some. The application of the earth should be renewed 

 as often as the fish seem to require it, and, indeed, it is 

 best not to wait till they show signs of wanting it, but 

 to give it to them often, and keep sods in all the time ; 

 and whenever you perceive anything in the troughs 

 that is likely to foul the water, throw a handful of earth' 

 over it. 



If you have a pride in keeping a clean gravelly bed 

 to your troughs, you can cover over the earth, after a 

 day or so, with clean gravel, and it will look as well as 

 before ; but you must give them earth again soon. 



As the spring advances the young fry will continue 

 to grow, and one day's routine in taking care of them 

 will be very much like another through the summer. 

 This does not imply, however, that the work is mo- 

 notonous or dull. On the contrary, it is exceedingly 

 interesting, and the more closely you observe them the 

 more interesting the care of them becomes. You will 

 learn to distinguish individuals from one another, and 



