FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT. 123 



a matter as it might at first appear to be. Various mate- 

 rials, or combinations of materials, of a more or less expensive 

 nature, have from time to time been recommended and used ; 

 but the simplest, and best to my way of thinking, is what is 

 known as a thatched building. Really practical farmers are 

 quite aware of the great value of thatched barns and build- 

 ings ; in them can be stored any description of root or cereal 

 crop or animals may be housed in them without the slight- 

 est fear of frost ; while the comfort (from a climatic point of 

 view) of thatched dwelling-houses can only be properly appre- 

 ciated by thoss who have lived in them. In the thatched 

 building, then, the fish-culturist finds the most suitable stru:- 

 ture for the purpose of a hatching house; and, as well as 

 being the best, it is one of the mo'9t economical. More- 

 over, if a little taste be exercised in design, it can be made 

 quite picturesque. The walls should be of brickwork, but 

 frameworks should fit them on tfye outside, and these frame- 

 works should be thatched ; framework shutters (also thatched) 

 should Io2 made to fit the windows and doorways. These 

 thatched frameworks need not necessarily be used only Avhen 

 a severe frost is imminent, but they should be available in case 

 they are wanted. If the building is 1 in a very exposed posi- 

 tion, it may be lined inside with common felt, in addition to 

 the thatch outside, but the felt is seldom necessary. For 

 my own part, I prefer to see the plain brickwork inside ; and 

 bricks with a glazed surface are best ; they look nice, are easily 

 cleaned, and cost very little more money. The windows 

 should be fitted with green blinds or curtains to subdue 

 the light, 



The floor should ba of concrete, cemented over 

 and made to fall in the direction of one or mere channels 

 (according to the sizs of the building), cut with the object of 

 carrying off the water that is sure to be spilt in course of the 

 operations. Stout frameworks should be erected on which 

 the hatching boxes are to be placed, and these I describe pre- 

 sently, but I may say here that the " stands" or framework 

 on which the boxes rest must be of ai thoroughly substantial 



