250 BY HOOK AND BT CROOK. 



From various causes the farmer has turned to ac- 

 count every rood under his control, and with this object 

 lias drained all low-lying swampy lands, so converting 

 hitherto wasted ground into productive soil. By this 

 process a fall of rain, which formerly took weeks to 

 filter into the river, now takes as many days, with the 

 result that a flood which maintained the river in angling 

 trim for a space of three weeks, now scarcely provides 

 a week — running oflF as from a duck's back. 



It follows that the general volume of water in a 

 river is much less than formerly, and it would appear 

 that fish have one third of the time in which to run up 

 and surmount obstructions ; but such is not in reality 

 the case, as in many instances the abnormal height of 

 the water at the commencement of a flood actually pre- 

 vents the fish negotiating obstructions, and compels 

 them to await a subsidence ; thus their running periods 

 arc curtailed at the commencement and end of a flood. 



It results — that the fish are confined to a smaller area 

 than was formerly the case, while they are more strictly 

 protected by law with the object of increasing their 

 numbers. 



To eradicate, or at any rate to reduce, the sway of 

 disease, one of two methods must be adopted : viz., 

 either allow more fisli to be taken, by the repeal of 

 laws now in existence governing the capture of clean 

 fish or kelt, or both — or else allow the fish more scope 

 in the river. 



The latter method, naturally, is the more advantageous. 



