CHAPTER XX. 



OF FISH-PONDS, AND HOW TO ORDER THEM. 



[fifth fag.] 



PlSC. Doctor Lebault, the learned Frenchman, in his 

 large discourse of "Maison Rustique," gives this direction for 

 making of fish-.ponds ; I shall refer you to him to read it at 

 large, but I think I shall contract it, and yet make it as useful. 



He adviseth, that when you have drained the ground, and 

 made the earth firm where the head of the pond must be ? 

 that you must then, in that place, drive in two or three rows 

 of oak or elm piles, which should be scorched in the fire, or 

 half burnt, before they be driven into the earth ; for being 

 thus used, it preserves them much longer from rotting : and 

 having done so, lay faggots or bavins of smaller wood be- 

 twixt them, and then earth betwixt and above them, and 

 then having first very well rammed them and the earth, use 

 another pile in like manner as the first were : and note, 

 that the second pile is to be of or about the height that you 

 intend to make your sluice or flood-gate, or the vent that 



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