ON SMALLER PONDS. 19? 



this onwards they grow again mucli more slowly, and 

 the fish take up, when large, more space than they are 

 worth ; for these large carp are also unmarketable, the 

 fish from two to five pounds being best for the table, 

 the large ones being apt to get wooUy and tasteless. 



Mr. Simeon, in his most able and interesting work, 

 " Stray Notes on Fishing, &c.," gives a very good 

 account of the operations of Mr. Maltby, our Vice- 

 Consul at Brussels, who has several ponds in that 

 locality for the rearing of fish. From this account 

 valuable data may be derived. Mr. Maltby, it seems, 

 does not rely altogether upon his own breed of fish, 

 but buys others of the best and most approved breeds, 

 to introduce from time to time into his waters, thus 

 crossing the breeds. According to Mr. Simeon, Mr. 

 Maltby finds the Tench perhaps the most valuable 

 pond-fish of any, being the most delicate and free 

 from any muddy flavour; and in this estimate I 

 think my own experience verifies his, as I have eaten 

 Dr. Tench, as he is sometimes called, even from our 

 ponds with a reasonable amount of satisfaction. 



After the formation of a pond, it is often found 

 that the fish do not thrive nor increase. There 

 may be various reasons for this : one is that, pos- 

 sibly, the soil of the pond does not suit the fish 

 nor encourage food for them ; a soft, warm, marly 







