[37] POND CULTURE. 



503 



2 meters at one-third and two-thirds of the entire heiglit, at intervals 

 of 1.8 meters. Double anchoring- is done somewhat on the model of a 

 chess-board. If, e. g., at one-third of the height the 1st, Gth (or 7th), and 

 12th (or 13th) sticks have been anchored, this is done at two-thirds of the 

 height with the 3d (or 4th), 9th (or 10th), and 15th (or 16th), &c. After 

 the wicker-work has been carried to the necessary height the last three 

 or four branches are, at intervals of 1.8 meters, tied to the sticks with 

 bands, and finally earth is piled up over the wicker-work to the height of 

 25 to 30 centimeters and rammed down; or, as shown in the figure, two or 

 three layers of pieces of sod are fastened to the dike. A squad of three 

 men, supplied with the necessary, tools, can ram in 300 sticks in twelve 

 hours. A squad of five plaiters needs a fascine knife, a spade, and a mal- 

 let; and after the sticks have been driven in the ground they can finish 

 2.5 square meters of wicker-work in one hour, three men doing the 

 plaiting, while one man fills the space between the wicker-work and 

 the dike with earth, and another one carries the branches. 



4. Uarth-coverlng. —This consists of a cover of earth 45 to 1)0 centi- 

 meters thick, which serves as a coating for a dike conj posed of loose soil. 

 Clayey or loamy soil will be best suite<l for this purpose. This covering 

 is made by piling up layers 15 to 20 centimeters high of soil carefully 

 freed from all stones. Every layer is well rammed down, and, if the 

 weather is dry, it is sprinkled. In order to have the earth-work connect 

 thoroughly with the covering, it will be well to ram down the covering in 

 the shape of steps. For a length of dike of 1 meter, one man with a ram- 

 mer will be needed, and to every 24 rammers, one man with a sprinkler. 

 In this manner the earth-covering will progress at the rate of about 30 

 centimeters per hour. Earth-covering can be used only when the slope 

 of the dike is very gentle, the base of the slope being equal to the en- 

 tire height of the dike ; and if one is compelled to employ this method of 

 covering, the slope of the dike should be made to accord with it. This 

 covering should be sowed with grass seed or planted with willows, by 

 simply planting young shoots. Horak says in regard to this : " Among 

 the willows the common basket- willow is the best, as it will thrive in a 

 loose, moist soil, and is well adapted to wicker-work and fascines. 

 One-year-old shoots, 20 to 30 centimeters long, should be used, putting 

 seven-eighths of their entire length in loose soil and only allowing 

 one-eighth to protrude. The beds where these shoots are to be planted 

 should be hoed in a breadth of 20 to 30 centimeters and to a similar 

 depth, and the shoots should be planted just as one plants young vege- 

 tables. If these shoots are well watered during dry seasons they will 

 grow to the height of 50 to 70 centimeters during the first year. If the 

 shoots are simply stuck in a hard soil the bark and the germ are de- 

 stroyed, and the plantation will prove a failure."* 



If the earth-covering is planted with willows immediately after its 

 completion it will, of course, not be necessary to hoe the soil, as it will 



* Deutsche Fischerei-Zeitung, 1878, No. 21. 



