EEET-ROOT, BARLEY, AND FISH CROPS. 339 



can be fed up like cliickens and in time turn to great 

 profit; because, considering a pond will, though but 

 four acres, feed uj) 1,600 carp in two, and perhaps, 

 one year, from ten to eighteen inches, fit for your table, 

 present, or sale." 



As regards the number of fish that water will carry, 

 Mr. North confesses he can lay down no actual rule, 

 experience must be the guide in stocking the waters. 

 He, however, gives the following hints : '' When laying 

 the pond dry in every year, you must observe whether 

 the fish be well fed or else thin and lean, and accordingly 

 you judge whether the stock was too little or too much 

 for the water." 



In January, 1870, I received the following valuable 

 information from a gentleman residing in Austria, 

 who at the present time cultivates his fish-ponds. The 

 water in the pond is drained off towards the end of 

 October. In the ensuing spring the dry pond is 

 ploughed up or harrowed for cropping like any other 

 field ; after this, beetroot or barley is sown. The latter 

 crop (barley) is particularly good for fish. 



Directly after harvest the pond is again filled with 

 water, the fish put in, and allowed three, or at all 

 events two, years. Care must be taken to stock the 

 pond with such fish as the quality of the water and 

 soil are found to suit. 



If the bottom is too slimy the pond must be drained 

 off, and the slime dug out in the winter. 



This slime should be thrown into heaps and allowed 

 to remain for a year, when it forms excellent manure. 



My fiiend Captain Salvin, having read my observa- 

 tions on fish-ponds, kindly sent me the following 

 valuable note: — ''About the same time (namely, the 

 reign of Queen Anne), when the Honourable Roger 



