APPENDIX 



SIR, Your correspondent " C. C. 0." in Land and 

 Water of last week disagrees with the constant and 

 free use of earth, which I had advocated in my 

 article on fish culture which appeared the preceding 

 week. Naturally one must admit that earth at the 

 bottom of a pond is not so great an element of beauty 

 as is clean gravel, but the advantages are so many, 

 that beauty must give way to usefulness. Besides 

 this, "C. C. C." must know that it is almost im- 

 possible to keep the gravel clean enough to look pretty, 

 when the water is inhabited by a large number of 

 little fish which are being constantly fed. I cannot at 

 all agree with his advice that "earth should be 

 avoided, or only used when necessity dictates." 

 I believe that one of the first principles of success in 

 fish culture is always to prevent any disease or 

 mishap, rather than to wait for, and then try to 

 remedy it. Trout in their natural surroundings get a 

 dose of earth every time that there is a spate. It is 

 very evident that the earth contains some ingredients 

 which are not only beneficial but almost a necessity to 

 the fish. 



I have never heard of earth as an actual cure for 

 " fungus " and should hardly think that it is active 

 enough. There is, however, no doubt that it is one of 

 the best preventatives to " fungus," for if it is properly 

 and freely used it stops all chance of any decomposing 

 material being exposed to the action of the water, and 



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