WEEDS. 57 



constant source of annoyance on some shallows 

 is the presence of scattered chair rushes — so 

 called because rush-bottomed chairs are made 

 with them. Where these are present they 

 catch the fly, causing it to drag, besides being 

 very tough when hooked. They should be 

 summarily dealt with by being pulled out by 

 the roots. 



All these operations should be carried out 

 by an intelligent keeper, and done at times 

 when there are no fishermen either in the 

 length he is cutting or on the reaches imme- 

 diately below it. Early morning is the most 

 convenient time, and the danger to be guarded 

 against is that of doing too much. If runs are 

 to be cut, the effect of very narrow ones should . 

 first be tried, and if, after a few days, they are 

 found insufficient, there is no difficulty in 

 cutting them to an additional width. Once, 

 however, overdo the cutting, and the water is 

 spoilt for the angler until the weeds have 

 grown up again. 



At the end of the trout season, the growth of Autumn weed 



' ■ cutting. 



weeds in the river is likely to be so luxuriant as 

 to seriously retard the flow of water. Even if 

 a thorough cutting was not required for the 

 benefit of the stream itself, loud complaints 

 would be heard from the farmers at the pros- 

 pect of their land being flooded in the winter. 



