[83] POND CULTURE. 549 



pomls should bo protected against iiiiiudatioiis, ami rcunid slioidd bo 

 had to this matter when the ponds are selected. Dminu winter, when 

 the young- fry is wintered in the spawning ponds, they need special 

 supervision ; and all the hints regarding the nmnagenient of winter 

 l)onds given in another chapter should be carefully observed. 



We have already referred to the (piantity of young fiy which may 

 be looked for. The cause of variations in this (|u;iutity must be found 

 in the fact that not all carp spawn at one and the same time, and in 

 the circumstance that there are sometimes two si)awning seasons. 

 When taken from the ponds the young fry should be sorted, and if 

 the quantity is sufficiently large, only the larger ones should be used 

 for raising. The remainder should, if possible, be sold ; and if this is 

 impossible, they should be placed in the stock ponds to serve as food 

 for the pike. If the selection of spawning ponds is not too nnich lim- 

 ited, these ponds should never be used as raising ponds, but, after the' 

 young fry have been taken out, they should be allowed to lie dry until 

 they are again used for spawning. Von Reider recommends not to take 

 all the young fry from the spawning i)onds in autumn, but only to select 

 the larger ones, and leave the remainder in the ponds to risk the com- 

 ing winter. If there is a superabundance of young fry this is of course 

 quite unobjectionable, as the very small young fry are not exposed to 

 possible injuries during the fishing, the transpoitation, and the placing 

 in the winter ponds, and are therefore likely to endure the severity of the 

 winter. As a general rule, liowever, it will be imi)ossible to avoid the 

 catching of the very small young fry together with the larger ones, and 

 all that can be done is to return the former to the waters of the pond. 

 If this is done the ])on(l should of couise be filled with water imme- 

 diately after the fisheries ; and even during the lisheries sufficient water 

 should be left in the fish-i)its to ])revent the young fry from i)erishing 

 during the interval between the einl of the fisheries and the tilling of the 

 l)0ud. This method may be employed for ascertaining the cai)acity of 

 a pond for wintering fisli. 



8. STOCKING THE RAISING PONDS. 



The aim and nature of raising ponds has been described in a previous 

 chapter, and it will, therefore, not be necessary to refer to it again. 



The rapid development of the young fish into marketable fish w ill 

 depend entirel}^ on the character of the fish which are jdaced in the 

 raising ponds and on the care bestowi d upon the fish during the ])eriod 

 of raising. The raising ponds are stocked with young fry, and with 

 small or medium two years' fish, which have not grown large enough 

 to be idaced in the stock ponds. The successful development of the 

 fish depends : (a) On healthy, strong, and perfect fish being placed in 

 the raising ponds; (h) on the quality of the soil, the favorable location, 

 and general character of the pond; (c) on the weather during the sum- 

 mer; and {(l) on the proper number of fish for each ])ond. 



