WEEDS. 53 



and it must be impressed upon them that the 

 success or non-success of the plan depends in 

 a great measure on the work being done 

 accurately to the marks, and where the weeds 

 are removed they must be taught to cut them 

 away close down to the gravel. Any longi- 

 tudinal runs or sidings required must be set out 

 and cut some time after the general spring 

 cutting has been completed, so as to be certain 

 of their necessity. If, after all the work is done, 

 •parts of the gravel are found to be covered by 

 mud, they should be thoroughly raked over with 

 heavy metal rakes. 



On mill ponds or reaches of similar character, Treatment of 



mill ponds. 



where the water is of moderate depth and the 

 current comparatively slight, one of the two 

 following systems of cutting the weeds in the 

 Spring should be adopted. Where the growth 

 of weed is very rapid the whole of the weed 

 should be cut out from bank to bank. The 

 most efficacious and economical mode of effect- 

 ing this is by a chain scythe worked up stream, 

 which cuts all the central portion of the stream. 

 Two men following, one on either side, trim 

 out closely the bank and part adjacent to it 

 with hand scythes. 



A chain scythe is made by bolting together 

 a number of blunt-ended scythe blades. A 

 chain or rope is fixed to each end, and 



