water of spawning pond. If the location is infested with crawfish 

 or snakes the nurseries should be protected by wire screens. The 

 spawning nursery ponds may be combined by constructing one com- 

 paratively long pond, narrow near the middle, so that the general 

 shape would be like an hour-glass. Across the narrow part is to 

 be stretched a screen of one-quarter inch wire cloth, which will con- 

 fine the spawners to the deeper end of the pond, while the fry or 

 hatching spawn will be kept separate. This form of pond is advan- 

 tageous where for any reason only a few ponds can be built. Be- 

 tween all ponds that are connected they should be screened where 

 water runs from one pond to the other, that is, at the inlet and out- 

 lets. 



Each pond should be surrounded by one-half inch wire mesh 

 two feet high. This makes a protection to the ponds from enemies, 

 and also keeps the Frogs confined to the ponds they are intended. 



Care of Ponds. 



The accumulated decayed matter ought to be occasionally re- 

 moved. The frequency of this depends on character of the water 

 supply, the amount of silt it brings into the ponds, the character 

 of the soil, and on the thoroughness of the yearly removal of the 

 surplus vegetation. Care should be taken that the ponds do not be- 

 come offensive with stagnant water and rotten vegetation. This 

 condition is detrimental to large production ; while abundant pond 

 vegetation is favorable to a large production of fry it must not be- 

 come decayed. It is sometimes so luxuriant that it settles down in 

 a blanket-like mass and smothers and pens in many of the young 

 Frogs. Under such conditions it should be removed frequently. This 



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