15 



Jack on the contrary is a very tender fish, and extremely 

 susceptible of being handled, turns up quickly, and if not 

 speedily removed to open water or home stews, pines, sick- 

 ens and dies. Home stews are small ponds which the pur- 

 veyor keeps ; they are generally about eight or ten yards 

 square, and serve as a convenience for supplying the mar- 

 ket, or if on a gentleman's own estate, for the supply of his 

 table, so as not to over-stock or glut the market during the 

 fishing season, as all ponds are fished in the autumn ; 

 carp and tench at that period require little or no food, so 

 does it not so materially matter about a larger number be- 

 ing cramped into a small space ; it is, however, advisable 

 by way of precaution, to allow a current of water to flow 

 through it, for fear of some turning up. 



The system pursued by the purveyor when he wants a 

 supply, is to drop a net (termed a wonder) of large dimen- 

 sions into the centre of his stew, and after a while he raises 

 it again, when he takes out the fish suited to the order or 

 required for his market; some few he keeps in wooden 

 tanks full of holes, like those used in the Thames for floun- 

 ders &c., by which he saves himself much trouble and loss 

 of time, but it must be remembered that no fish ought to 

 be kept longer than a week in such tanks, as by the close 

 confinement they become dull and lose their flesh. Jack 

 cannot be kept for any length of time in home stews, if 

 ever so much care be taken of them, and even with a full 



