CARP. 55 



fertile plain, surrounded by pastures and corn- 

 fields of a rich black mould ; the water ought 

 to be mild and soft, by no means too cold, or 

 impregnated with acid, calcareous, or other min- 

 eral particles ; they should be sheltered from 

 cold easterly or northern winds, by a ridge of 

 hills, situated at some distance from the ponds ; 

 enjoying fully the benign influence of the sun ; 

 far from where the leaves of trees might cause 

 a putrefaction, and impregnate the water with 

 astringent particles. Ponds in a poor, dry, or 

 sandy soil, surrounded by pines or firs, are 

 considered the worst of any for Carp. The 

 ground towards the pond ought to have a gentle 

 slope ; for deep valleys are subject to great 

 floods, and will endanger the dikes in a wet 

 season. 



It is found by experience most convenient to 

 have three kinds of ponds for Carp ; the first is 

 called the spawning pond, the second the nur- 

 sery, and the third, or largest, the main pond. 

 There are two methods for stocking the ponds 

 with Carp ; either to buy a few old fish, and 

 put them into the spawning pond ; or to pur- 

 chase a good quantity of one-year-old fry, for 

 the nursery. A pond intended for spawning 

 must be well cleared of all other kinds of fish, 

 especially such as are of a rapacious nature, 

 viz. Pike, Perch, Trout, and Eel ; and also of 



