484 REl'Oin- OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [18] 



Before beginning the eartb-^orlv of the dike one should commence 



dio-<nng some of the pond-ditcbes and lisb pits, and in order to fmtber 



tbe work both should be carried on at the same lime, so that earth dug 



^,. . out from the ditches may be 



^' ^9- ^' at once used for the dike. J t 



f ^ h will be impossible, however, 



to commence work simulta- 

 neously on all the ditches, as 

 they run in ditfercnt direc- 

 tions, and the laborers in 

 taking the earth to the dike 

 would interfere with each 

 other; nor can the earth- 

 work of the entire dike be 

 constructed sinniltaneously 

 with the ditches, unless the 

 main ditch is large enough 

 to supply the earth Tor the 

 entire length of the dike; 

 but only so much of the 

 dike should be constructed 

 as will be supplied with sut- 

 ficient earth from the ditches 

 dug at the same time. 



The main ditch should be 

 the first to be dug, and sim- 

 ultaneously with this work the portions of the dike nearest the main 

 ditch should be commenced and continued as ftir as the supply of earth 

 permits ; next the side ditches and the ditches for the superlluons water 

 sonhl be begun, and thus, going on from the larger to the smaller ditches, 

 the construction of the dike should be continued until it is completed. 

 Before beginning the earth-work proper of the dike, its bed should be 

 constructed bv digging a hole along its entire length and breadth meas- 

 uring 20 to 40 centimeters in depth, so that the foundation of the dike 

 can be placed in the ground. 



The width of the ditches is marked along their entire length by pegs 

 and ropes, while their slopes are generally determined only after the 

 bulk of the earth has been removed from them. If the slopes are to bo 

 marked prior to this, the inclination should be indicated by boards. 



In order to make an estimate of the cost of the earth- work of a pond, 

 and in ordc^r to draw up a plan for the work on the basis of the cost, it 

 will be necessary to know what number of laborers, and what period 

 of time, is required to complete the ditches and the dike. The follow- 

 ing data may aid in making these estimates : The number of laborers 

 will, of course, vary according to whether the ground is hard or soft. 

 In this respect the^ earth may be classed under three heads: Eas;y' tQ 



