[57] POND CULTURE. 523 



pike ill the s[)a\viiiiiy: jmiul it should in spriug be filled by rain oi- munv 

 water, i. e., if possible, be a sky pond. It should not connect with 

 brooks and rivers, as in this w&y other fish, especially pike, ma^^ «;et 

 into the pond. For the same reason spawning ponds should not draw 

 their supply of water from other ponds. If it is impossible to fulfil any 

 of these conditions, the grates should be very narrow^, and, if possible, 

 double. It is under all circumstances advisable to substitute in spawn- 

 ing ponds for the grates sieves of copper wire or perforated boards. 

 The fish-pit of spawning ponds should be of sufficient depth to allow 

 the young fry to winter in it. If during the summer the fish-pit is 

 covered with vegetation, this should be removed with a sickle attached 

 to a long handle before the beginning of autumn, so that the young fry 

 may find a clean resting-place during winter. Reimann insists that 

 all spawning ponds should have a fish-pit, i. e., a place deeper than the 

 rest of the pond, where the fish may gather during winter, and where 

 during summer they may find a cool place of refuge.* 



Horak says : " The young fry of the current year should not be caught 

 during autumn of the same year, because they are exposed to many 

 dangers, and even to total destruction j only in the exceptional case that 

 the fry cannot winter in the spawning pond, it may be justifiable to 

 catch them. This should, however, be done with great care, before the 

 fish reach sexual maturiry."t In all cases, no matter whether the 

 young fry remain in the pond during winter or not, the fish-pit should 

 be lined with wood, so to prevent any loss of young fish while they are 

 being caught. 



The following should also be observed : The spawning pond must 

 contain some stones, and in some places aquatic plants, because the 

 female fish like to rub against stones for the purpose of ridding them- 

 selves of the roe, and besides the roe readily attaches itself to aquatic 

 plants. As a general rule, however, it is best for the young fry if the 

 pond is tolerably free from reeds and aquatic plants. It is useful, how- 

 ever, if such plants grow along the edges, especially Festuca Jluitans, 

 as its leaves, blossoms, and seeds form excellent food for the young fish. 

 If there are in a pond no aquatic plants to which the fish can attach 

 their spawn, birch or juniper branches should be thrown into the pond, 

 which may prove of still further advantage, as the naturally impreg- 

 nated spawn of the carp attached to these branches can be transported a 

 considerable distance. Special attention should be given to the quiet and 

 safety of the young fry. Spawning i)ouds should therefore not be near 

 villages or pastures ; on the other hand, it will not be advisable to have 

 these ponds in very remote places, over which constant sui)er\ision 

 cannot be exercised, as there are many two-handed lovers of young 

 carp. All animals which are injurious to the spawn and the young fish 

 should be kept away from the pond m much as possible; birds of prey 



* R(;iniaiiii, PraJclisdia' .c!C!/rvS8 iivs Fischereiwesens, 1804. 

 t ilorak, Tcichwirihsv!:...'. ;'i iLiCD. 



