REARING 215 



at Weston. Set on the bottom with a large piece of 

 clay in the centre, a tuft of the plant will grow up 

 compactly ; and the sight of the fish clustering together 

 in the shadow thrown by this light green pillar of in- 

 terwoven foliage, as it sways gently with the current, 

 is one to gladden the heart of the breeder. Water 

 lake-wort and water lobelia are also excellent plants 

 for the ponds. So is common watercress, especially 

 for the shallower parts. 



In addition to water-vegetation natural food may 

 be introduced with advantage, especially into new 

 ponds. Almost all the forms of pond life are very 

 prolific, and will be found to increase with great 

 rapidity. The common water-snail (Limnaea Peregra) 

 is a great favourite with trout. But it is Gammarus 

 Pulex, the freshwater shrimp, which takes the palm. 

 * I would leave no stone unturned to introduce them 

 in large numbers,' said Francis Francis. 'When 1 

 have found it to exist in any quantity I have in- 

 variably observed the trout are of fine size, and in 

 unusually good condition.' 



This was written thirty-four years ago. At the 

 end of July 1897, I received a letter from a friend in 

 which, referring to a consignment of yearling rainbow 

 trout sent to him only six or seven months previously, 

 he says: 'They have thriven magnificently, and 



