REARING 207 



for carrying off all surplus water, and the leaves and 

 rubbish brought down by it, before they reach the 

 intake of your ponds. This is done by a side channel 

 or by-wash of ample capacity. 



But perhaps the most common plan is to form a 

 chain of ponds at the side of a brook from which the 

 water supply is drawn, leaving the surplus water to 

 pass off by the natural channel of the stream. In 

 some situations it is a matter of great difficulty to get 

 the water up, or the ponds down, to a suitable level 

 for securing the necessary fall for a series of ponds. 



In such cases the services of a practical engineer 

 may have to be called in ; for it is impossible to devise 

 a general scheme which would be well adapted to the 

 peculiarities of each and every case. 



The proof of the pudding is in the eating ; and, 

 perfect as a system may appear on paper, it will be of 

 no use unless it effectually secures your object, which 

 is to ensure that the supply of water passing through 

 the breeding ponds shall be constant and sufficient 

 through all the vicissitudes of a fickle climate. 



In determining the number of fish a rearing-pond 

 should hold, the size of the pond is of less importance 

 than the minimum quantity of water which passes 

 through it. But the temperature requires to be care- 

 fully observed, especially in the summer ; and should 



