REARING YOUNG FISH IN OUT-DOOR NURSERIES. 403 



liang tlie waters where you turn out the fish so much 

 the better, as they will entice insects, on which the fish 

 will feed. 



The very best places to turn out fish are watercress 

 beds, where the water is clear and shallow, the water- 

 cresses growing on either side, and a stream running 

 in the middle. 



FISH NURSERIES. 



Although I advise that the majority of the fish should 

 be turned out into the open, yet it is most advisable to 

 establish a fish nursery. Firstly, to enable you to have 

 some idea how your turned-out fish are getting on ; and 

 secondly, that you may have the pleasure of taming 

 the fish of your own rearing — and fish so reared soon 

 become tame, almost as tame as chickens. For this 

 purpose dig a hole in the ground, have a large box, 

 about eighteen inches deep made to fit into the hole ; 

 be sure the box is water-tight, or it will give you ever- 

 lasting trouble ; they may be of any size— the size I 

 like best is about six feet long by three feet wide. The 

 water in it must not be anywhere deeper than six 

 inches, the little fry from the troughs will not thrive in 

 deeper water, but as the fish get larger, the water may 

 be deepened ; this is easily arranged by altering the 

 position higher or lower by the outlet pipe. If you have 

 space enough, a succession of two or three of these 

 boxes may be placed end on to each other, and pretty 

 little waterfalls instituted where the water runs over 

 while the edges may be ornamented with water plants 

 according to the gardener's taste. In this manner fish 

 nurseries may be made very ornamental adjuncts to 

 gardens and pleasure grounds. (See previous page.) 

 The supply of these nurseries is readily obtained, as 



