PISHING THROUGH THE ICE 169 



that pleasant outing we all may have in imagi- 

 nation, sitting before the blazing winter fire or 

 heated stove whilst the winter gale blows snow- 

 laden in the outer darkness. Or when busily re- 

 pairing our rods, making new leaders, snelling 

 more hooks, or neatly constructing that feather- 

 poem, the dainty artificial fly ! And how pleas- 

 ant to recall the help one has been to the others 

 because of the knowledge acquired in the ways 

 taught by this book ! 



And one other instructive amusement can be 

 followed, even in winter, beside fishing through the 

 ice and recalling past experience I refer to 

 amateur fish-culture. The time will surely come 

 when every farmer will be as fully prepared to 

 breed fish as cattle. In the chapter on the sub- 

 ject included in this little book I have written 

 with the idea bf introducing trout-culture to my 

 young readers as intensely interesting and in- 

 forming, and possibly useful to them in after 

 life. It certainly will fill up the dead season of 

 fishing, if practised as I have laid down. 



