REARING 217 



GROWING THE YEARLINGS AND 

 TWO-YEAR-OLDS 



Shortly before removing the fry from the rearing- 

 boxes, the ponds which are to receive the little 

 tenants should be headed up, but only to the height 

 of about a foot and a half. I do not think it is a good 

 plan to head up the ponds long beforehand, because 

 time would then be given for the weed to grow up. 

 Useful as it will prove at a later stage for harbouring 

 snails, shrimps, &c., when the fry have grown big 

 enough to eat them, water-vegetation is not desirable 

 just at this critical juncture. The fry are not yet big 

 enough to l assimilate ' the snails and shrimps, and 

 there is great danger lest the timid little creatures 

 should, when first liberated, conceal themselves in the 

 weeds with the inevitable result starvation. 



When everything is ready for their reception, 

 the fry must be removed from the rearing-boxes, and 

 put in possession of their more spacious and dignified 

 abode. It has often been observed that young fish 

 are keenly sensitive to the influences of wind and 

 temperature, and certainly it is not a good plan to 

 turn out fry when there is a bitterly cold wind blow- 

 ing. Especially is this so if the situation of your 

 pond is such that the surface of the water is exposed 

 to the wind prevailing at the time. 



