48 G REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [20] 



its destination (which, however, will be very seldom the case, probably 

 only in very small ponds, and in these along the fish-pit, as the main 

 ditch does not rnu parallel with the dike, but strikes it mostly at a right 

 angle, and as none of the other ditches run parallel with the dike), a 

 sqnad working in sandy soil would comprise two and one-half men, and 

 in diflicnlt soil three men ; but as soon as the earth is to be thrown far- 

 ther than 3.6 meters each sqnad should be increased by one man for 

 every additional 3.G meters. In large ditches the earth has to be thrown 

 not only horizontally, but also vertically ; each squad should, therefore, 

 be lurther increased by one shoveler; this would make per sqnad in 

 tolerably easy soil three and one-half men, in difficult soil four men, 

 presuming that the earth is to be thrown 3.6 meters in a horizontal di- 

 rection. But as the distance to which the earth has to be thrown varies 

 in the different squads, the number of laborers composing a squad will 

 vary according to the greater or less need of additional shovelers. 



In order to determine Clu; number of laborers which will be required, 

 the number of stpnids should be ascertained first, without regard to the 

 shovelers needed for carrying the earth farther than 3.6 meters. The 

 number of squads will be determined by the length of the dike, as 

 these laborers will have to construct not only the ditch, but also the 

 dike. The number of laborers being A, the length of the dike L, the 

 distance assigned to each sqnad I, and the number of laborers per 

 squad «, the formula is as follows : 



L a 



To this number should be added the shovelers who are to carry the 

 earth to the dike. 



It will be necessary to know the total of all the distances to which the 

 earth is to be removed Ity all the squads. The total of these distances, 

 S, supposing the distance of the squad nearest the dike to be A, the 

 distance of the farthest «, and the number of squads n, will be as fol- 

 lows : 



g _ n{A + u) 

 2 



We must here observe that there is included in the squad one shoveler 

 who has to throw the earth from the ditch a distance of 3.6 meters. This 

 shoveler we do not count in the following calculations, because we do 

 not count another shoveler for carrying the earth from the edge of the 

 sole of the dike on the water side to that on the land side, and in the same 

 cases on the dike itself. 



The above formula is to be solved as follows : With a view of making 

 it plainer we will describe the manner in which the laborers should be 

 placed. This may be done in three different ways : (1) In such a man- 

 ner that each squad carries the earth to the dike in a straight line, there- 

 fore by the shortest route. This is possible only if the work on the fish- 

 pit and on the adjoining part of the dike is not commenced until the 



