52 MAKING A FISHERY. 



middle of the stream. A judicious application 

 of this principle can be used to divert the 

 current towards any spot desired for moving 

 small accumulations of mud, or other purposes 

 deemed of advantage to the particular part of 

 the river. With the view of showing clearly how 

 this system should be carried out, the accom- 

 panying plate of a portion of the famous 

 Sheepbridge Shallow at Houghton-on-the-Test, 

 showing the ordinary appearance of the shallow 

 if treated on this principle, is appended. 



When it is intended to carry out the side-and- 

 bar system of spring weed-cutting, the positions 

 of the weed bars should be carefully marked by 

 stakes driven into the banks, and in arranging 

 them due regard should be paid to the character 

 of the weeds in the various portions of the 

 shallow. Thus, as far as possible, natural beds 

 of celery should be left, and masses of carrot or 

 ribbon weed be cut out to form beds of gravel. 

 Places where trout habitually feed on floating 

 insects should, as far as possible, be set out as 

 gravel beds, and weed beds left where practi- 

 cable above points where the mud usually 

 accumulates, so that the rush of water should 

 invariably tend to remove such deposits. 



When the entire shallow has been distinctly 

 marked out, the gravel beds should be cut out 

 by men working in the water with hand scythes, 



