60 HOME FISHING AND HOME WATERS. 



case in cold climates if the water was all shallow. 

 The reason for having the bottom sloping is, that 

 thereby the fish may have access to plenty of warm, 

 shoal water, and also, that in case the old fish 

 are not taken out after spawning, the young will 

 have the protection of the shallow water along the 

 edges, into which the larger fish cannot swim if 

 they should feel inclined to make a meal on some 

 of their younger relatives. 



The outlet should be about three feet wide, and 

 so constructed that it can be well screened to pre- 

 vent the fish from escaping, and so as to admit of 

 the water being drawn off when it is desired to re- 

 move the fish or to cleanse the pond. The screens 

 may be made of wire netting, and painted with 

 gas-tar mixed with one-third turpentine, or to the 

 consistency of paint, and applied with an ordinary 

 paint brush. The wire netting should be tacked to 

 strong wooden frames, made to fit the space to be 

 screened. To screen a carp pond effectually, three 

 screens of different sized meshes should be used. 

 These should slide in a grooved framework, so 

 that they can be taken out easily and cleaned. 

 The coarser screen should be placed first, or nearest 

 to the pond, so as to catch the principal part of 

 the drifting matter, and prevent the clogging of 

 the lower and finer screens. About eighteen inches 

 back of the screens the outlet boards should be 

 placed, fitted to slide in a groove. They should be 

 about six inches wide each, and made to fit closely, 

 as it is by these that the overflow is regulated. 



It is advisable to have the top boards narrower 

 than the lower ones, so that the water may be 



