PONDS. 27 



ment ponds convenient. I should say, build all the 

 ponds you please, if you have water enough ; you will 

 not have too many. 



Spawning Beds. 



The spawning beds consist simply of a long narrow 

 flume, or raceway, at the head of the ponds, where 

 the fish come up to spawn. They should be built at 

 the very upper end of the pond, and should have a 

 good current of water running through them. They 

 are generally made of plank, and should be at least 

 thirty feet long, with sides eighteen inches deep. 



From the lower end of the spawning beds, the slope 

 should be gradual to the lowest level of the bottom of 

 the pond. If the slope is abrupt, the fish are not so 

 likely to go up the races, and are more likely to spawn 

 in the pond. The width of the spawning race will de- 

 pend on the volume of the stream, it being an essential 

 point to secure a lively current over the beds. Where 

 there is plenty of water, the raceways should be four 

 feet wide. If the water supply is small, two feet, and 

 even eighteen inches, will do. There should be trans- 

 verse bars placed on the bottom, across the whole 

 width, high enough to make the water above them 

 from four to twelve inches deep. The more water you 

 have, the deeper you can afford to make the water in 

 the beds, without dulling the current too much. 



square, called the happy-family pond, where nine different kinds 

 of large fish are kept together, including glass-eyed pike, mul- 

 lets, black bass, and others. Although not profitable, I have al- 

 ways found it sufficiently interesting to make it worth while to 

 keep it up. 



