from too strong sun's rays and sudden atmospheric changes. The sides of the ponds are formed of 

 upright boards sunken into the bottom ; and the ponds are separated by gravelly or sandy walks 

 bordered with grass, flowers, or other vegetation. By means of a gate or pipe the ponds may be 

 drained as needed for cleansing and other purposes. 



The mud ponds are for brood fish, for grown fish intended for sale, and for fish in course of 

 rearing. They are kept constantly stirred by the swimming and feeding movements of the fish. 



In modern goldfish culture small cement ponds are quite as indispensable as the larger mud- 

 bottom ponds. Their size depends on personal preference and the purposes for which intended. The 

 dimensions may be as small as 3 by 3 feet or as large as 12 by 12 feet, with all intermediate sizes, 

 with a depth of 6 inches. In Koriyama, for the accommodation of the large oranda variety, ponds 

 are 18 to 20 feet long and 5 feet wide, with a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Such ponds are usually 

 and most conveniently arranged in series of 6 to 12, sometimes separated by narrow walks, sometimes 

 only a few inches apart. Each set of ponds, or basins, as they should perhaps be called, is supplied 

 with water through a common open trough or flume; and each basin has a Watergate in the middle 

 of the side next the flume. The outlet pipe occupies the center of a rounded depression near the 

 opposite end of the basin; this concavity is 9 to 18 inches wide and 2 to 4 inches deep, and is intended 

 to receive the fish and prevent them from struggling as the water is drawn off. These basins are 

 usually provided with covers or awnings so as to regulate the amount of light and to afford pro- 

 tection from enemies and elements. 



The cement basins are used for the retention of brood fish immediately prior to and during 

 spawning, for the hatching of the eggs, for the rearing of the young, for the holding of fish awaiting 

 sale and shipment, and for various other purposes. 



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