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-that otherwise must be used to prevent disaster by flooding- the ponds and 

 consequent loss of fish. Most of the elig-ible pond sites are subjected to this 

 dang-er of overflow and every precaution should be taken to guard against 

 dang-er from this source. The most .secure place is the center of some low 

 flat, or swamp is not objectionable, with the supply- of water from spring or 

 spring branch. I would build my pond or ponds in the center of fiat or 

 swamp, making them narrow enoiigh to leave wide spaces on either side, with 

 banks not less than 8 feet on top and 3.") feet wide at base. There is one pre- 

 caution often neglected in buikling ponds, and that is the foundation or bed 

 for your banks. He sure that all grass, weeds and roots are removed and that 

 the eai'th is well broken, as this allows the dirt of the banks to a.ssimilate 

 with the foundation, leaving no seam for .seepage, which is a .source of an- 

 noyance and often develops into a dangerous leak. At the level of water held 

 in ponds I would construct drainways to take off the surplus water of heavy 

 rainstorms. A good plan is to closely observe during heavy rains the amount 

 of water that flows over the intended pond site and by this means you can 

 calcvilate very closely the amount of water it will be necessary to' divert. 

 Extended flats or swampy places have great advantages for pond-building. 

 One is nearly always assured of an abundant supply of water, and such a site 

 is less liable to danger from overflows than the narrow gorge of the hillside. 

 Then. too. on such a site you are nearly always assured of an abundant 

 growth of aquatic plants which adds much to the value of the ponds. Where 

 artesian water can be relied upon you can build on the most convenient or 

 desirable location. 



Where it is desired to supply ponds with water by diverting part of a 

 stream, although an abundance of water may be assured at all times, it is too 

 often the most dangerous of all locations, as well as the most expensive. 

 Such ponds are more liable to disaster from overflow than other locations. 

 Either you have an expensive dam to build in order to divert the water, or it 

 is necessary to tap the stream, if a flowing one. some distance above your 

 pond site and carry the water through a ditch or raceway, and as most 

 streams are liable to get out of their banks at times this proves a source of 

 danger. 



The shape of a pond may conform to its situation, making it wide in one 

 place, narrow in another, with symmetrical ciarves that add much to its, 

 beauty without impairing its usefulness. 



As to the bottoms nothing uniform is desirable — shallows here and there 

 with little islands covered with aquatic plants also add to the attractiveness 

 and as these shallows may be covered with sand and gravel they make ideal 

 spawning grotinds for the fish. Jf the ponds are for commercial purposes or 

 the rearing of great numbers of young fish is desired these irregularities 

 should all drain to the draw-oflf which may be by natural drainage or if so 

 situated that this is not feasible can be pumped out with a small gasoline 

 pumping plant, that being about the cheapest power used. 



This emptying of ponds is only needed for pond cultural work. Should the 

 writer ever build more ponds he will have them of not less than one acre 

 each, with irregular bottoms and long sloping inside banks, the bottoms not 

 so irregiilar as to interfere with seining but having many shoal places for 

 spawning grounds as well as basking and feeding places for the j-oung fish. 

 While ponds built on the above lines are well adapted to all fresh water fish 

 they woiild be ideal for black bass, crappie, strawberry bass, and in fact all 

 of the sunfish family. 



Various methods are siiggested and practiced by fish eulturists. each no 

 doubt thinking his own plan best. 



While good ponds with an abundance of water are the first needs "yet the 

 importance of choice brood fish cannot be over estimated. The mistake that 

 many fish eulturists make is over stocking the pond and this should be care- 

 fully guHrded against. This may vary with climate but taking one acre as a 

 pond basis thirty pairs of fair sized black bass, two and one half to three 

 pounds each, and fifty pairs might not be an extreme. One hundred pairs of 

 the following fish: Crappie, rock bass, strawberry bass, and twenty pairs of 

 clumnel csitfish or ciirn. 



