To4 BRITISH SPORTING FISHES. 
When each of the ponds had been worked in 
rotation, one was growing a crop of vegetables, 
another fry and yearlings, and the third breeders, 
and fish fattening for the market. Suitable 
weeds were grown about the margins of the 
ponds, and in many instances much care was 
taken in the matter of feeding. As the fish grew 
to a large size they were netted and placed in 
the actual stew. An ingenious contrivance for 
taking these out at pleasure was a strong wooden 
box, having holes in the bottom, which was 
sunk where the water was deepest. As required, 
the box was wound up with a chain, contents 
and all. 
A great variety of fish were kept in the ponds, 
and fatted in the stews when these were in vogue, 
Among them were carp, tench, pike, eels, trout, 
and many others. Thought was given to the 
habits of these, and while tench and eels suc- 
ceeded best in mud, carp were kept on gravelly 
bottoms. Certain fish devoured the spawn of 
others, and care had to be taken to protect one 
species against its neighbours. On this account, 
carp and tench thrive and breed best when no 
other fish are put with them into the same pond. 
Walton reminds us that in stocking a pond with 
carp, it is necessary to put into it two or three 
milters for one spawner, and that it should have 
