THE CULTIVATION OF FISHES IN SMALL PONDS 



I'.V CIIAIU.K.S ir. TOUXSKXD 

 Aquarium Battery Park. New York City. 



Ill prcscniiiiu- lliis paiH'i- 1(i the l-'islicrics Society. T do so 

 less ill the liope of alVonlin^- iiislniel.'oii to proressioiial fish cul- 

 liirists like yoiij-selves. than ot creatin<i- some discussion of tlie 

 siiljject and proliliii^' therehy iiiyself. For se\'eral years I ha\e 

 heen e.\[ierimentii!i;' with small nalural and ai'tificial ponds on 

 private estates in tlie vicinity of New ^'orl<. witli a view 1o as- 

 certainini:- tlieir ])ossil)ilities for jjroducinu' the commoner li>hes. 

 EeqiU'sts for information on tlie suliject of home fish ponds are 

 being made constantly \)y tlie jnihlic. I have arranged the mat- 

 ter under the general headings of "Xatural Ponds" and "Artili- 

 c-ial Ponds" and ha\e attempted to i)resent hrit'f and general 

 instrnctions for their management. The raising of trout is not 

 considered in this connection. Trout require s})ecial conditions 

 of Avater supply and temperature, seldom found on the farm. 

 For the ordinary run of ponds, it is necessary to restrict the list 

 of available fishes to the perches, basses and sunfishes to which 

 they are adapted. 



Xafural PoikIs or Lukes. — It is assumed that the })osition of 

 the natural \ww\ is such that no arrangement can he made for 

 drawing off the water. Its possilulities wall therefore have to be 

 considered sejiarately. Its fish life moreover can never be 

 brought under complete control. If the character and abund- 

 ance of the lish life in the pond are not known it is desirable 

 that it he ascertained as far as ])ossihle hy fishing or netting. If 

 the ])(>nd is without any fishes it should of course, he stocked at 

 once, and the selection of fishes made with due regard to its nal- 

 ural conditions. The exfrenie depth, mid-suminer leiu|)i'rature. 

 plant life and character of the hottoin of the })ond should all he 

 ascertained. The summer liotlom temperature of deep ponds 

 should he known, it can be taken hv lowering the thermometer 

 in a i)ail and allowing if to remain some time, if ])ulled up 

 rapidly the temperature will not have t'me to rise niateriallx. 



