474 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



closed it remains much warmer during the night in 

 doors than it is out doors, consequently the malaria 

 is kept by this warmth so high above the head, and 

 so rarified, as to be comparatively harmless. This 

 may seem to some too nice a distinction altogether, 

 but it will be found throughout the world of na- 

 ture, that the works of the Almighty are most stri- 

 kingly beautiful in their minutite, and these minu- 

 tifB are the foundation of his mightiest manifesta- 

 tion. 



Thus it is, too, what we call "Fever and Ague" 

 might be banished from the country as a general 

 disease, if two thingswere done. 



1. Have a fire kindled every morning at day- 

 light, from spring to fall, in the familj'-room, to 

 which all should repair from their chambers, and 

 there remain until breakfast is taken. 



2. Let a fire be kindled in the family-room a 

 short time before sundown ; let every member of 

 the family repair to it, and there remain uritil sup 

 per is taken. 



Fur the Sew England Fanner. 



FISH IN ARTIFICIAL PONDS. 



Mr. Editor : — Some time since, I saw in the 

 JV. E. Farmer an inquiry with regard to the prop' 

 agation of the trout in artificial ponds or resei'' 

 voirs. I know notliing of the fish except from per- 

 sonal observation and experience, the relation of 

 which may suggest useful hints to those who feel 

 an interest in the subject. 



I have in my garden a spring of pure water from 

 which the earth has been excavated in nearly a cir- 

 cular form about 30 feet over, and in parts three 

 feet deeper than the natural outlet ; to this has 

 been connected another reservoir, rather larger 

 than the first, by a space 3 feet wide, the water in 

 which is about 20 inches deep, the two ponds part- 

 ed by a peninsula of oval shape about 15 to 25 

 feet in extent. I have in these ponds some 50 to 

 100 fine trout, varying from the size of the com- 

 mon brook trout to several specimens of more than 

 a foot in length. The trouts confine themselves 

 almost exclusively to the spring, and seldom, ex- 

 cept in the spawning season, go into the shallow 

 pond, keeping a large space perfectly clean from 

 all mud, where they may always be seen of a sunny 

 morning lying on the pure white gravel on the bot- 

 tom, in a most amiable group, seemingly in the 

 realization of a most perfect and quiet enjoyment. 

 Earlier and later in the day each one betakes itself 

 to its own hiding place, and watches for such in- 

 sects as may fall into the water, or some juvenile 

 frog that may venture within their reach, and which 

 they are sure to add to their dinner. I feed them 

 occasionally with angle worms, fresh meat and lit- 

 tle fishes cut up fine, &c. crumbs of bread and 

 cracker they will not eat. The trout is not easily 

 tamed ; they know when one comes to feed them ; 

 and they will approach within six or eight feet, but 

 they are alarmed at any quick or unusual move- 

 ment, and will not be easily coaxed back again. 

 My fish are very healthy and beautiful, and are ob- 

 jects of much interest to all visitors in the garden. 

 The pairing season of the trout continues through 

 the last weeks in October and first weeks in No- 

 vember, when they go by pairs, some into shallow 

 corners about the deep pond, but mostly into the 

 shallow pond, where they select separate places and 

 stay by themselves two or three weeks, allowin: 



none to interrupt their dual society ; on the ap- 

 proach of cold weather they again seek the deep 

 water and resume their former habits. I have no 

 doubt if the old fish, which are very voracious, should 

 be entirely taken from the water, a million of little 

 trouts would grow up in their place, but in my pond 

 I have not seen them after the first few weeks in 

 spring; I believe they serve as food for their parents. 



The second pond through which the water pass- 

 es to its final outlet, was intended and is used for 

 a paddling place for some half dozen little children, 

 v,-ho make a good deal of music about my garden, 

 and it would do your heart good to see the delight, 

 the splashing, and hear the shouts of the little 

 rogues as they occasionally frolic in the mimic sea. 



There is a growing inclination to experiment in 

 the matter of fish raising, and if my little experience 

 as related above, is in your estimation of any value, 

 you are at liberty to use it. The present is a good 

 season to prepare the ponds, and at the pairing sea- 

 son the fish can easily be taken with a net and 

 transferred to it. J. w. c. 



Framingham, August 20, 1856. 



Remarks. — We are pleased with the above ac- 

 count, because we believe that every thing of this 

 kind goes to make the world beautiful, interesting 

 and profitable ; for we do not yet think that all 

 profit lies in dollars and cents. There is a profit 

 to the heart and soul which has not yet been suffi- 

 ciently considered ; but where it has touched them, 

 it shines forth in the very abodes of poverty, as 

 well as in more pretentious conditions. Many of 

 the mud cabins of the English peasantry, possess 

 more true nobility of character than some of the 

 towering mansions of the rich citizen ; and their 

 souls are more in unison with God and Nature, and 

 they have a wealth of feeling, and love, and patriot- 

 ism, which are strangers to many educated minds 

 which look down on them with pity or contempt. 



The great Architect has given us tastes to enjoy 

 some things better, in forms or conditions difiierent 

 from those in which he has left them, and he who 

 changes and makes them pleasant and attractive, 

 merits, and will receive the public regard and ap- 

 probation. 



Breathing and Thinking. — Let any reader 

 think for a moment of what he experiences when 

 he breathes, and attends to the act. He will find 

 that his whole frame heaves and subsides at the 

 time ; face, chest, stomach and limbs are all actu- 

 ated by his respiration. Now let him feel his 

 thoughts, and he will see that they too heave with 

 the mass. When he entertains a long thought, he 

 draws a l^ng breath ; when he thinks quickly, his 

 breath alternates with rapid alternations ; when the 

 tempest of anger shakes his mind, his breath is tu- 

 multuous ; when his soul is deep and tranquil, so 

 is his respiration ; when success inflates him, his 

 lungs are as tumid as his conceits. Let him make 

 trial of the contrary ; let him endeavor to think in 

 long stretches at the same time he breathes in fits, 

 and he will find that it is impossible ; that in this 

 case the chopping lungs will needs mince his 

 thoughts. 



