64 TROUT CULTURE. 



A " maggot factory " may be established at the head 

 of the pond or ponds, so that the maggots keep drop- 

 ping in, so soon as the size of the fishes enables them 

 to swallow one. A box with double sides to keep an 

 even temperature, a closely-fitting lid to keep in the 

 stench, and an open wire-work bottom to admit flies 

 and for the exit of maggots is a good idea ; it was 

 shown at the London Exhibition of 1883. It is sup- 

 ported on posts, or suspended from a sort of gibbet 

 over the water ; any vermin trapped or shot may be 

 suspended in it, either on small meat hooks or 

 otherwise. 



Mr. Francis, in his " Practical Management of 

 Fisheries," an excellent work, recommends that boys 

 be employed to collect worms, snails, &c., for the 

 young and old trout. Our experience of boys is 

 that each boy wants two men to look after him, and 

 that his services are rather dear at a gift ; however, 

 there may be boys and boys. " Boys will be boys " is 

 an old saying ; and we can only caution the reader to 

 avoid what we have always found the quintessence of 

 slyness and mischief. Perhaps far from the larger 

 towns they may be more unsophisticated, or the 

 exception may prove the rule, but we do feel strongly 

 on this point. 



For merely feeding, preparing food, and such light 

 work, we should certainly prefer female labour, as 

 being less costly and in many ways more trustworthy. 



Anyhow, we must agree with Mr. Francis in his 

 recommendation of a varied dietary ; the greater the 

 variety, the greater the rate of growth. For the older 

 trout, any odds and ends from a butcher's shop will 

 prove acceptable, especially if they can be bought at a 



