52 How to obtain it. 
either in close proximity to the house and close together, or they 
may be scattered at intervals among the wildest of scenery ; 
indeed they may be placed, so to speak, anyhow and anywhere, 
provided always, of course, that there is a suitable water supply. 
To begin with, let us take an average country house. There 
is a small stream flowing somewhere not far off, and in it are to 
be found always a few small trout—a proof at once of its value, 
and the very best guarantee that can be as to its capabilities for 
supplying fish ponds. Don’t on any account commence making 
ponds by damming up this stream at intervals, as has so often 
been done in the past. Such dams do not answer the purpose 
desired at all satisfactorily, and are often quite unworkable. 
Floods come down, and the result is that they get very much 
silted up, or filled with débvis of some kind. The amount that is 
brought down by some of our mountain streams, when at times 
they become torrents, must be seen to be understood. Well do 
I remember remarking this to one of my early helpers as he was 
receiving instructions for making a dam, when with a knowing 
look he replied, “’Deed, sir; but there’s a muckle heap 0’ 
‘deberis’ comes doon here, when the water’s oot!” This “heap 
0 deberis” (débris) must be reckoned upon, for sooner or later it 
is sure to come in most streams. In addition to the débris, which 
may consist of stones, sand, earth, or whatever the ground may 
be made of over which the stream flows, a good deal of other 
matter often comes down. I have seen ponds made by damming 
up streams that have given a great deal of trouble, simply owing 
to the quantity of floating matter that comes down during spates. 
Often the outlet has been made in the north-east corner of the 
pond and on theembankment. The natural consequence is, that 
with every south-west gale, all the force of the water and floating 
material is thrown on to the outlet screen, whereas by a little 
forethought and arrangement this might often be easily avoided. 
The chances are that the screen is choked and the result is an 
overflow, by which probably some of the fish will be lost. 
To make a fish pond, then, or a set of ponds, select any 
suitable place off the stream. It may be close alongside or it may 
be half-a-mile away. One of the best sets of working ponds I have 
ever made is about this distance from the point at which the water 
