THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. 39 



THE NURSERY. 



This is merely an apartment temporarily established in 'the 

 storage-pond, which serves the purpose of protecting the young 

 during their earliest infancy. 



THE REARING POND. 



This pond differs from the preceding in several respects. To 

 begin with, it is five times as large, the size eight (8) feet by twenty 

 (20) being in many ways the most convenient, as experience has 

 abundantly proven. 



In constructing this, as well as the others, it is not absolutely 

 necessary that the outlet should be directly opposite the inlet, 

 though such an arrangement insures the most complete changing of 

 the contents (the water) by the current passing from one end to the 

 other. The location of the outlet and inlet must be determined by 

 the judgment of the builder when seeking to get the best results he 

 can, from the circumstances and surroundings of the locality in 

 which he places his ponds. It is necessary, however, that the inlet 

 should be one or two inches above the water level, so that the fish 

 will be prevented from getting into the supply drain, should there 

 happen to be a defect in the guard. In constructing the pond, the 

 remarks applying to ponds in general are to be respected. The 

 dams must reach six inches above the water level, and the floor be as 

 uniform as possible, with a regular incline of from six (6) inches 

 depth at one end to twenty-four (24) inches at the other. The 

 deepest part to be at the outlet, insuring a perfect and^even drawing 

 off, whenever that may be needed. 



One or two plants, such as Nymphaea only, should be planted in 

 the soil of the bottom, as their floating leaves afford shelter to the 

 fish in very hot weather. Besides it offers greater convenience for 

 the fish to reach deep water upon the approach of danger, as in such 



