FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT. 81 



necessary, for you are sure to lose more or less quantities of 

 natural food, however careful you may be. In the case of 

 fry-ponds, the depth, is necessarily adjusted for rearing 

 purposes from time to time ; but, as this means an increase 

 of depth, not decrease, the objection, does not obtain. 



You may very well devote some of your spare time to study- 

 ing the life history of many of the microscopical inhabitants of 

 your ponds and streams. Such knowledge is especially, use- 

 ful in connection with rearing very young fry after a natural 

 manner, and it is ai fascinating subject. 



As with land plants, so with aquatic plants : Certain sodls 

 suit certain species and not others. When possible, plant 

 that which naturally takes to the soil, but should the soil be 

 unfavourable to all alike, then mix with it a sufficient quantity 

 of suitable soil obtained from elsewhere. With some of the 

 larger plants it is as well to dig 1 in ai little stable manure, well 

 rotted. This is especially the case with water lilies. Set 

 yoiir plants only as few hours as. possible before the water rises 

 and covers their roots. All planting is best done in the spring. 

 Do not make the great mistake of thinking that when the aqua- 

 tic plants are set all that is necessarv has been done. They re- 

 quire, and should receive, constant attention Treat the bot- 

 toms of your ponds or streams as you would a kitchen or flower 

 garden, and all will go well. 



While I a.m dealing with planting I may as well have ai few 

 words to say about suitable trees and shrubs for the banks. 

 As I have already pointed out, these, for several reasons, 

 should be in evidence in sufficient numbers at every fishery. I 

 do not forget there aire ways 1 of doing without them ; but ex- 

 perience goes to prove that they are extremely useful :'f not 

 absolutely necessary. Here again, then, where planting has 

 toi be done, we want to establish those which encourage insect 

 life ; and of these I prefer, in their order of merit, alder, oak, 

 and willow. Almost any shrubs, many tall growing plants, 

 and the hardier sorts of dahlias, are all useful. The grass, 

 excepting on the actual pathways, may well be permitted 

 to grow long and thus harbour innumerable insects which in 

 large numbers alight on the water. G 



