Tlasrrations ror Trovt. 395 
made the earth firm where the head of the pond must be, Le- 
bault advises that you drive in two or three rows of oak or 
elm piles, which should be scorched in the fire or half burned 
before they be driven in the earth, for being thus used it pre- 
serves them much longer from rotting; and having done so, 
lay fagots or bavins of smaller wood between them, and 
then earth between and above them; and then, having first 
very well rammed them and the earth, use another pile in 
like manner as the first were, and note that the second pile 
is to be of or about the same height that you intend to make 
your sluice or flood-gate, or the vent that you intend shall 
convey the overflowings of your pond, or any flood that shall 
threaten to break the pond dam, Then he advises the plant- 
ing of willows and osiers about the dam, and cast in charred 
logs not far from the side, as also upon the sandy places, in 
order to protect spawning-beds and form hiding-places for 
the small fry. All ponds should contain places of gravel bot- 
tom, and places sandy and shallow, where trout may disport 
themselves and burnish their sides. Fish should also have 
retiring-places, such as hollow banks, or shelves, or roots of 
trees, to keep them from danger, and to shade them at times 
during the day in the extreme heat of summer, also from the 
extremity of cold in winter. If too many trees grow about 
your pond, the leaves, falling into the water, will impreg- 
nate it and injure the flavor of the fish. Although towering 
trees form too dense a shade, and the foliage is bad for the 
stream, while they yield cover to invite winged game and 
the consequent gunner, yet shooting much about a fish-pre- 
serve is injurious, and I would advise the planting of willow 
and alder to partially shade the stream or pond, and render 
firm the shores. 
Two trout-ponds are more profitable than one of the same 
area as the two, because they may be cleaned alternately, 
and the trout turned into one while the other is under clean- 
ing process. 
In small ponds, or ponds where the small fry of common 
