1 1 8 Modern Fishculture in Fresh and Salt Water. 



go astray is excelled by the element in which they live, 

 which is notorious for having a way of its own, which 

 is never our way, and for seeking it at all times ; hence 

 in trout culture the great difficulties to be overcome 

 are, to confine the water so that it is secure under ex- 

 traordinary strains of flood and accident and to con- 

 fine the fish — the latter being hardly as difficult as the 

 former. 



If the owner does not care to go into the business of 

 hatching trout for a succession, as described, he should 

 provide good spawning places such as are mentioned 

 ill the preceding chapter, and see that nothing molests 

 the spawning beds in winter. In this way he may get 

 a few trout which escape the old ones, which will keep 

 them from becoming too plenty. 



PONDS IN A SERIES. 



In making a series of ponds in which fish of different 

 sizes are to be kept and fed a different system is pur- 

 sued, the ponds being made small, in order that the 

 water may be changed quickly, and so sustain more 

 fish, and the stock can be seen and its condition known 

 at all times. Such ponds may be 50 to 60 feet long by 

 10 to 12 wide and 4 to 6 deep, with sides of clay, if that 

 is the material dug through, stone, or wood. A spawn- 

 ing race should be made at the upper end, 20 to 30 feet 

 long by 4 feet wide, the bottom sloping from i to 2 

 feet where it enters the pond ; this will give the pond a 

 shape like a long-necked bottle. 



There should be a fall of at least six inches from the 

 pond above into the spawning race, more if the lay of 

 the land will permit, in order to aerate the water. For 

 need of this see chapter on "Transportation of Fish." 



