Leary. — Brief Notes on Pond Culture 151 



build a pond under one acre in size, and if water conditions 

 justified I would make them much larger. The depth I 

 would vary with climate, but always so that the ponds could 

 be drained absolutely dry. In building banks I would make 

 the long slope on the inner side. The ponds should be so 

 located that an abundance of water can be supplied without 

 the use of machinery or at least so that the ponds can be 

 kept full by natural gravity flow, even if it is necessary to 

 empty them by machinery, as pumping out once a year is 

 much cheaper and much better than having to pump con- 

 tinuously to keep ponds to a standard of fullness. As to 

 shape of ponds, just conform to the lay of the land; this 

 will make them both more effective and picturesque. As 

 to nursery ponds, if I intended to hold great numbers of fry 

 to the fingerling size, I would build them several acres in 

 extent and very shallow, say an average of about three feet 

 with a slight increase of depth toward the draw-off. I still 

 believe that it pays to stock all inland waters with fish from 

 \y 2 to 2 inches long. 



