[95] POND CULTURE. 5(;i 



i/ed only by feediug- tlieiu to fish of i>rcy, which are certain U) lind a ready 

 market. AvS has already been stated, the older carp like to spawn in 

 tlie stock ponds; their younjLjf ones will likewise decrease the quantity 

 of food, and it will become necessary to destroy these younf,^ lisli, which 

 is easily done by placing' in the pond a number of fish of prey. Amonj^ 

 the fish of prey the i)ike deserves the preference on account of its 

 voracity, its rapid growth, its hardy nature, and its ready sale; and 

 from time immemorial it has been and is still the constant companion 

 of the car]) in the stock ponds. Care should be taken, however, that 

 the i)iko do not exterminate the carp, and only pike of such a size as to 

 jnak(^ it impossible for them to outgrow the carp should be placed in 

 the stock ponds. The i)ike is the most inveterate enemy of the carp, 

 and will destroy it whenever possible. The number of pike, or other 

 tisli of prey, will dejiend on the quantity of food supplied for tliem, and 

 on the number of carp in the pond. When ponds are fished wliich con- 

 tain both carp aud pike, great care should be exercised that no pike of 

 any considerable size remains over till the following year, for a single 

 large pike is capable of making sad havoc among a stock of carp. 

 Carp weighing 1 pound should be accompanied by pike weighing at 

 most one-quarter pound, and carp weighing 2 i)ounds by pike weighing 

 at most one-half to tliree-quarters of a pound apiece. The same applies 

 to other fish of prey, e. fj., perch, &c. To every 100 car[) one generally 

 counts 10 to 15 fish of i)rey. 



Of other fish {he tench are best suited for stock ponds, especially in 

 a neighborhood where they find a ready market. The same price is 

 often paid for them by dealers as for carp. If not placed in the ponds 

 in excessive quantity the tench have the advantage that they can live 

 on food hidden in the mud, which is not accessible for the carp, and 

 that by theiv rooting in the mud they dig up food for the carp which 

 these otherwise could never get at. A large quantity of the young fry 

 of the tench serves as food for the pike. The Llm melanotus may also 

 prove a valuable addition in carp ponds, as it often finds a readj' sale 

 as an ornamental fish. It will be well not to place too many other fish 

 in the stock ponds, and tlieir number should be deducted from the num- 

 ber of carp to be placed in the ])ond. 



10. CAUE OF THE PTSir, ESPECIALLY THi: CARP. 



The care of the fisli consists — 



1. In keeping the ])ond in good order, which is done: {«) By keeping 

 the dikes aud banks in good re[»air, and by regulating the suj)ply and 

 outflow of the water; {b) by keeping the water ahviiys at a ]»roi)er 

 height. 



-J. In providing not only sufficient but good food for the tish, which 

 may be done: (a) By artificially improving the capacity of the i)onds 

 for producing food ; [h) by feeding the tish artificially. 



3. By exercising careful supervision over the i)onds, both in suinmer 

 11. Mis. 08 3(5 



