96 How to obtain it. 



covers the bottom with a rich grass-like carpet, and at once forms 

 a refuge for a large quantity of animalculae, shell fish, etc., the 

 latter attaching their spawn to its leaves very freely. It grows 

 readily in almost any reasonable depth of water, say from a foot 

 to ten feet or more, and is one of the most harmless plants we 

 possess. It can never interfere with fishing in any way, it never 

 needs thinning, and no matter how much it may spread, it can 

 never become a pest. Being a valuable food producer, it is an 

 exceedingly desirable addition to our fish ponds, and should be 

 largely planted. One of the best methods of doing this is to 

 lower the water a little, and dibble in the plants in small groups, 

 varying from three or four to twenty plants, according to the 

 quantity to be planted and the size of the pond The plants 

 spread laterally, so that it is only" a question of time for them to 

 cover the whole bottom of the pond. In waters which cannot be 

 lowered, the plants may be tied to small stones, and dropped into 

 the water in suitable places. When this plan is adopted, several 

 may be tied to one stone, care being taken that they are not 

 bound too tightly. They may also be planted in rough shallow 

 boxes and sunk in the lake, or in flat baskets, which may be 

 treated in the same way. I have known a case in which a large 

 number were sorted into bunches -of eight or ten, and these 

 consecutively tied on a string, somewhat like the papers on the 

 tail of a kite. A stone was tied to each end of the string, and it 

 was then sunk in the water, care being taken to stretch it well, so 

 that the plants could not rise, but must stay on the bottom, into 

 which they soon sent their roots. 



The next plant which is to be recommended is the charming 

 little water lobelia (Lobelia Dortmannd), and the only objection 

 that can be raised to it is that it sends up a single flower stem 

 above the surface of the water. This drawback, however, is not 

 worth a moment's consideration, as they can be readily cut, and 

 will not again reappear the same year. With the exception of the 

 flower stem it only reaches a height of some two inches, and does 

 not spread unduly. It is indeed a very desirable little plant to 

 introduce, and is propagated by seed. The root consists of 

 numerous white fibres, and the leaves, which are fairly numerous 

 are arranged in a somewhat star-like form at the bottom of the 



