7 8 How to obtain it. 



piece of water fruitful or barren, as the case may be. The more 

 intimately we become acquainted with these important matters 

 the more likely are we to manage them properly. 



Many old ponds are so completely overgrown as to be 

 choked with vegetation, and the only course that can be taken 

 with most of these is to let off the water, clean them out 

 thoroughly, allow them to remain dry for a period, and then deal 

 with them as I shall direct presently. The advantage of having a 

 properly constructed bottom outlet, as described in my last 

 chapter, will now be apparent, and at a time like this it will be 

 found very useful. At the same time it must be remembered 

 that when the water is run off a large quantity of valuable fish 

 food goes with it. This stock of food has to be replaced before 

 the water can again support the usual number of trout which the 

 pond has been accustomed to hold. When it is one of the lower 

 ones of a series this does not so much matter, as water can be let 

 down from the pond above, which is charged with animal life, 

 and from this source a stock is soon produced. 



In connection with the aqua-culture of the period, perhaps 

 there is no subject of greater importance than the study of the 

 various forms of life that are to be found in greater or lesser 

 quantities in our waters. To work out the life histories of the 

 creatures, and ascertain the peculiar conditions under which each 

 one exists or ceases to exist, and also those conditions which are 

 most favourable for reproduction, in the largest quantities, of 

 each species, is a work of no ordinary kind. Passing over the 

 more prominent and visible creatures, we come to a wonderful 

 series of microscopic beings, which in some localities are found in 

 enormous numbers, whilst in others they either do not occur at 

 all, or if they do, it is simply a case of bare existence. I have 

 examined some waters in which the so-called lower forms of life, 

 both animal and vegetable, are conspicuous by their absence, and 

 the fish in these waters are very naturally stunted in growth, and 

 are never known to attain any size, save where an individual 

 develops cannibal propensities, and soon outgrows his fellows. It 

 will be seen, therefore, that the conditions under which fishes are 

 wont to thrive are those to be first ascertained before stocking is 

 resorted to. It ought to be needless to point out that it is not 



