246 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



Finally, there should be fish — goldfish prefer- 

 ably, since they are like nothing less than darts 

 of flame beneath the waters of a pool — but any 

 small fish will serve the purpose of keeping down 

 the mosquito larvae, providing there are no 

 shaded corners and obscure little spots into 

 which the fish cannot or will not penetrate. 

 Naturally in the tubs of which I have spoken, 

 where plants are grown that hide the water al- 

 together, a condition of shade prevails through- 

 out; and in these it is extremely doubtful that 

 fish will thrive. Not that they are averse to 

 shade, but they must have a modicum of light 

 and assuredly plenty of air. Therefore, even 

 when growing plants wholly for themselves, it is 

 well to keep a little of the water's surface ex- 

 posed either by crowding the vegetation back 

 or cutting it away as it encroaches too much. 

 The allotment of fish is a pair per tub or pool up 

 to twenty feet square, with a pair added for each 

 additional twenty-foot square unit. This is not 

 to say however that more than this number may 

 not be introduced; but twenty -five are enough 

 to stock a pond seventy-five by one hundred 

 feet in size. 



All water-lilies require still water; therefore 

 when it is necessary to replenish a pool wherein 

 they are growing, be very careful that no com- 



