28 AQUATIC PLANTS IN POND CULTURE. 



long, made of oak or some similarly strong material. At a proper 

 angle with the teeth are two handles about 20 inches in length in- 

 serted as shown in the accompanjnng illustration. The handles of 

 an old plow can be utilized for the purpose. A crotch line is at- 

 tached to the ends of the rake, which is operated by three men, one 

 with waders, who stands between the handles and manipulates the im- 

 plement, and two on the shore to pull it. A fourth man looks over 

 the weeds, sorts out the fish, and pitches the growth upon the bank as 

 it is brought ashore. When not loaded, the rake is easily floated out 

 into the pond. To rake the bottom, the operator sometimes must put 

 his hands and arms under w^ater; and as he wades out with the rake 

 he determines by the density of the moss how far it is necessary to go 

 to secure a rake full. Ordinarily this is about 20 feet beyond the area 

 which was cleaned with the hand raking, but farther if the weeds are 

 not thick. The rake is moved through the weeds slowly to allow 

 the fish to escape, but on reaching the open space made by the garden 



Fig. P.O. — Rake devised by Mr. Dwight Lydell, and in use for removing vegetation at the 

 Mill Creek station of the Michigan Fish Commission. For description see text. 



rake it can be moved more rapidly, so that as it comes ashore, with 

 water rushing around either end, any fish that may be ahead of it 

 will usually escape into the pond. The few that may become en- 

 tangled are released by swift handling of the weeds as they are 

 brought ashore. After the first raking is completed a seine is used 

 to remove all fish that may be in the cleared space. Then the rake is 

 used again farther out in the pond, the process being repeated until 

 the pond has been thoroughly cleared of vegetation or the desired 

 number of fish have been obtained. 



At the Wytheville station a boat is employed in the removal of the 

 aquatic vegetation from portions of the pond where the groAvth is 

 most dense. Fastened to each end of the boat is a cleat, through 

 which is a hole about 2 inches in diameter, or of sufficient size to 

 hold a stake loosely fitted in it, the stakes being driven into the bot- 

 tom of the pond for the purpose of holding the boat steady while 

 the vegetation is being pulled by the rakes. The loosened mass is then 



