FISH ON THK FARM— WHAT SPECIES TO SELECT. 



SAMUEL LOVEJOY. 



Living in the red hills of Georgia and never having seen over 

 a quarter of an acre of water is why I select the above subject. 

 The pond should be placed on a stream or supplied from a good 

 spring so as to have a constant supply of water. Side hill ditches 

 should be cut around the pond so as to keep off the surface water 

 (luring heavy rains, which would soon fill in the pond with clay 

 or sand, although the occasional letting in of muddy water it^ 

 beneficial, being healthful to the fish, and supplying fertility in 

 which many ponds are deficient. 



The area should not be smaller than one-fourth of an acre,, 

 though 1 have seen ponds do well with one-eighth of an acre and 

 even less, where conditions were favorable. The dam should be 

 built well with base ten or twelve feet if six feet high, tapering 

 up to four fe(>t at top. I have noticed a good many ponds in our 

 section where the builder left all the brush in the pond, which is 

 a great mistake, as it furnishes hiding places for fish enemies 

 and makes it bad in case it is desired to capture the fish with 

 nets. The pond should be cleared of all trees, brush, and planted 

 with aquatic plants, not too dense. All ponds should be ])rovid- 

 ed with an overflow or sluice, so as to draw the water entireb' 

 out of the pond when desired. 



The speckled or mottled catfish, Ainiurus nehvlosis. is very 

 productive, not cannibalistic at all, consumes any good whole- 

 some food, is easily kept and weighs from one-half to three- 

 fourths of a pound wlieii one year old. I have seen it taken at 

 three or four years old weighing from threi' to five pounds. It 

 is an excellent fish for the table and market. 



Tlie l)lue-gil] l)ream, Lepoiiiis jxillidus. does well in botl) 

 northern and southern waters. It is very prolific, a rapid gTower, 

 a vigorous biter at the hook, nice for both tal)le and market. Its 

 abdominal cavity and head are very small and it, therefore, 

 dresses to waste but little. It is splendid fish for small ponds. 

 It will live and do well in water temperature up to 100°. 



Tlic third best fish, in my o])inion, for small ])onds south i^ 



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