[171] POND CULTURE. (]37 



The size of the compartments depends entirely on the purpose which 

 they are to serve. It may, under certain circumstances, be advisable 

 to make the separations movable. It is absolutely necessary that liffht 

 and air should have free access to all the comi)artments from above. 

 In constructinji- these comi)artments care should be taken to have them 

 arranged in such a manner as to give to each kind of fish the water 

 and soil which their nature requires. Thus, in the first compartment, 

 where the water enters, are placed trout, barbel, and ThymnUns ; in the 

 second, pike and perch; and in the others, carp, whitetisb, tench, &c. 

 The size of the compartments should be regulated by the quantity of 

 the different kinds of fish. Pike, barbel, or trout, c. g., will never be 

 kept in as great quantities as carp. Stone should be put in those com- 

 partments where trout or barbel are keiit, as these fish, like the craw- 

 fish, love to hide under stones. The soil is left as nature has provided 

 it. It is better to have several small compartments than a few large 

 ones. It is immaterial what kind of wood is used for these com])art- 

 ments as long as it is thoroughly dry ; generally, however, pine wood 

 is used. Fish should not be put in the compartments until the water 

 has been allowed to flow through them for two to four weeks, so as to 

 take away the odor of the fresh wood. 



"No general rules can be laid down as to the number of fish to be put 

 in one comijartment, and but too frequejitly it will be necessary to crowd 

 some of the compartments. In winter, or whenever the weather is cool, 

 and in deej) and constantly fresh water, no evil results will follow, pio- 

 vided this crowding does not extend over too great a i>eriod of time. 

 The compartments should be inspected every day, and dead tish, which 

 will float on the water, should be removed as soon as possible. The 

 most important point is cleanliness. If the water falls into the com- 

 partments from above, and a lively current goes through all of them, 

 no further cleaning.need be done ; but if this is not the case fresh water 

 should be allowed to flow into the compartments from time to time. In 

 constructing a fish-house care should be taken that the water is clean, 

 and that it does not come from places where there are breweries, tan- 

 pits, rettings, &c. If the fisli or pond master lives in the tish-house, his 

 dwelling should be below the outflow. The ditferent fisli in the various 

 compartments should have separate tanks ; eels, for instance are kept 

 most safely in strong wooden boxes, because otherwise they are apt to 

 burrow in the bottom, and in this way make their escape from the fish- 

 house. In fish-houses fish must be fed, and a sufficient supply of food 

 suitable for each kind should be kept on hand." 



From the above it will be easy for a pond cultivator to select the 

 method of keei)ing fish best adapted to his circumstances, lirief men- 

 tion should be made of the superintendent's dwelling in tlie fish-house, 

 "which should have a roomy shed and an airy garret for Icecping the fish- 

 ing apparatus and lor drying the nets. 



The work at the tanks consists in placing the fish in then), in super- 



