CHAPTER IV. 



FISH PONDS HOW TO STOCK THEM. 



Preparation Stocking Carrying live trout Dipping the trout Transit 

 Large fish Two-year-olds Yearlings Fry Nursery ponds Water plants 

 Turning out fry Fry in rivers Excellent travellers Glass carriers 

 Advantages of Equalising temperature Fish killed by thoughtlessness Wooden 

 carriers Metal Travelling trout in August Care required Fully eyed ova 

 Trout at the Antipodes American work Successes. 



A NYONE who has any knowledge of farming or gardening, 



knows perfectly well that unless the ground is properly 



prepared, and the seed sown at the right time and in the right 



way, the future crop will probably not be a great success. Just 



so it is with fish ponds. 



Attention has already been drawn to the needful preparation 

 of the ponds, and this having been duly attended to, the water is 

 ready to receive the crop. It may be produced from eggs (ova), 

 or by transplanting the fish themselves. The latter course is the 

 one that has hitherto been most generally adopted. There are 

 cases in which owners of ponds do not wish to wait, but to have a 

 crop of large fish at once. In such a case winter is the best time 

 for the fish to be transferred, and if possible, during a frost. The 

 fish are then more easily carried from place to place, and will bear 

 handling better. 



Years ago an idea prevailed that in carrying living trout, the 

 two things needful were to aerate the water vigorously, and to 

 change it whenever possible. Thus we find many elaborate 

 contrivances have been invented for this purpose. For all the 

 trout I ever carried and I have travelled with them to all parts 

 of Britain, long journeys, both by sea land I never used any 

 aerating machine, but an ordinary lading-can of about a gallon 

 capacity. I believe a pair of bellows may at times be useful, but 

 I have never yet required them. The great secrets of carrying fish j 

 successfully are attention to temperature and an empty stomach > 



