54 TROUT CULTUliE. 



it about three feet from each end, and carrying 

 grooves to receive the slide on which the zinc or iron 

 screen is fastened. These uprights are braced to the 

 ends of the sole-plate by " struts " or buttresses, with 

 planking nailed to them so as to form " wings," which 

 extend into the bank and prevent the water working 

 round instead of going through the perforations of 

 the screen, a thing which, in their absence, it is sure 

 to do. A firm bottom is selected, and branches are 

 made on each side of the bank to bed the wings on. 

 The bottom is levelled, and the sole-plate is bedded 

 carefully on it \ and the stones and earth are rammed 

 well in round the wings. 



Large stones and bricks should be well worked up 

 to the sole-plate on both sides and for some distance, 

 and should be well dressed with puddled clay ; this 

 in its turn being covered with gravel and fine shingle, 

 as we have two difficulties to contend with. On the 

 upper side we have the head of water, which, even 

 if only a few inches in height, will assuredly, unless 

 well checked as above advised, work its way under 

 the sole-plate and well up on the other side, thus 

 affording a free egress to the fry, which, always on 

 the look-out for an outlet, will not be slow to take 

 advantage of it. 



Having the place in order, whether tank, box, or 

 stream, the next thing is to catch the fry out of the 

 troughs, and as they are by this time wonderfully 

 active the glass tube is no longer of any use, and is 

 accordingly superseded by a light hand net. The 

 frame of this, made of wire, is of such a size as just 

 to work easily inside the troughs, and is fixed into a 

 short wooden handle ; it is covered with muslin and 



