94 How to obtain it. 



It is quite easy to find such examples, and one which I have 

 used most successfully is the stonewort ( Chara flexilis ). There 

 are several closely allied species, and I merely take C. flexilis as 

 an example. It soon covers the bottom, where it grows, and as 

 it does not usually attain a height of more than two feet or so, it 

 cannot be in the way of the fly-fisher. Even when trolling it is 

 not in the way, although it may occasionally be brought up on 

 the hooks should they sink too deep ; but even then there is 

 advantage rather than otherwise, as the plant does good service in 

 keeping the hooks off the actual bottom. It also provides good 

 shelter for those creatures on which the trout live, and I have 

 often seen it much frequented by Limnece, etc. It grows well in 

 either standing water or in a stream. Sometimes it suddenly 

 disappears from a pond, but in such a case some will be found in 

 the stream below, which will soon raise another stock, if removed 

 and planted near the head of the water. 



We often find lake bottoms covered in places by some 

 member or other of this family ( Characecz), and there are other 

 plants which are also often found, naturally, in similar situations, 

 such as Myriophyllum (milfoil) Potamogeton (pond weed), etc. 

 These, and other free growing plants, I have already alluded to. 

 They should, as a rule, be avoided, although in large lakes where 

 they have plenty of room, they often do very good service. I 

 have seen ponds entirely choked by Potamogeton crispum and 

 Potamogeton natans, and yet both are useful, especially the 

 former, in their proper places. The difficulty is to keep them 

 within reasonable bounds. For coarse fish ponds I have found 

 Potamogeton crispum very useful, but it requires a good deal of 

 attention. 



Of the taller growing plants, the white water lily ( Nymphoza 

 alba, is one of the best. If properly planted it grows readily, and 

 the floating leaves provide an excellent shade for the fish, under 

 which they delight to swim, and where they find also a quantity 

 of natural food. The beauty of the flowers alone is very much in 

 their favour, while they spread very slowly, and should the 

 floating leaves at any time be in the way, it is a very easy matter 

 to cut them. They will thrive wherever there is a fair depth of 

 good soil, but do not grow well on a stony or sandy bottom 



