Management of Ponds and Wells. 109 



consequently, when cattle go to drink, they trample farther and 

 further into the mud, as the water recedes before them, and the 

 mud consumes almost as much, if not more than the cattle, 

 themselves. 



Every pond should have a mouth, if only for the convenience 

 of cleanina; it out ; but most assuredly that part which is nearest 

 to the mouth should be the deepest ; and I would have the whole 

 pond so constructed, with a regular slope from every part towards 

 the mouth, that the last cupfuU should be found there. Those 

 who resort to it, be they men or cattle, would then have the 

 water always fresh and clean, and there would be no occasion 

 for them ever to advance into the pond beyond the mouth. Lest, 

 however, cattle should be tempted by the heat of the weather to 

 bathe or stand in the pond, I consider it very important that 

 a line of posts and rails should be erected across the pond, just 

 in front of the mouth. The mouth itself should be a gradual 

 slope from the surface of the ground down to the level of the 

 bottom of the pozid ; and it is only true economy to pave or 

 pitch it, so that the cattle may stand on a hard bottom. This 

 pitching should be of good sound flattish stones, set up edgeways, 

 and filled in with sand and lime. Pebbles and round stones do 

 not answer, as they are very slippery for stock to stand on, 

 besides being liable to get kicked up, and moved from their 

 places. The bottom course should be a good piece of oak timber, 

 Avell pegged down to two or three stout piles, to prevent the rest 

 of the pitching from slipping by degrees into the pond. This 

 pitching would be of great help, too, in case of its being necessary 

 at any time to send a cart down for water. For my own part, 

 however, I should say that, never on any pretext, should a 

 water-cart be sent down the mouth ; but I would use a small 

 hand or garden pump, and, by means of two short pieces of hose, 

 pump the water into the cart while standing on the level ; for 

 I am convinced that by this means much waste both of water 

 and labour would be avoided, besides wear and tear of horseflesh, 

 and damage to the pond. 



I would next call attention to the very great importance of 

 making ponds sufficiently deep. Many ponds will hold water 

 throughout an ordinary summer ; but directly that an unusual 

 drought comes, and the want of water is really felt, it may be 

 said without exaggeration that four ponds out of five are suddenly 

 found to be dry. Whatever may be the superficial size, there 

 should be a minimum depth of not less than six or eight feet at 

 the mouth, which is, as I said before, to be the deepest part. By 

 every additional inch or foot in depth, a great hoard of water is 

 most economically stored up ; for a small, deep pond has three 

 great advantages over a larger and shallower one. In the first 



