94 How to obtain tt. 
It is quite easy to find such examples, and one which I have 
used most successfully is the stonewort (Chara jéexilis). There 
are several closely allied species, and I merely take C. flexilis as 
an example. It soon covers the bottom, where it grows, and as 
it does not usually attain a height of more than two feet or so, it 
cannot be in the way of the fly-fisher. Even when trolling it is 
not in the way, although it may occasionally be brought up on 
the hooks. should they sink too deep, but even then there is 
advantage rather than otherwise, as the plant does good service in 
keeping the hooks off the actual bottom. It also provides good 
shelter for those creatures on which the trout live, and I have 
often seen it much frequented by Zzmmnea, etc. It grows well in 
either standing water or in a stream. Sometimes it suddenly 
disappears from a pond, but in such a case some will be found in 
the stream below, which will soon raise another stock, if removed 
and planted near the head of the water. 
We often find lake bottoms covered in places by some 
member or other of this family (Characez), and there are other 
plants which are also often found, naturally, in similar situations, 
such as ALpriophyllum (milfoil) Potamogeton (pond weed), etc. 
These, and other free growing plants, I have already alluded to. 
They should, as a rule, be avoided, although in large lakes where 
they have plenty of room, they often do very good service. I 
have seen ponds entirely choked by Potamogeton crispum and 
Potamogeton natans, and yet both are useful, especially the 
former, in their proper places. The difficulty is to keep them 
within reasonable bounds. For coarse fish ponds I have found 
Potamogeton crispum very useful, but it requires a good deal of 
attention. 
Of the taller growing plants, the white water lily (Mymphea 
alba) is one of the best. If properly planted it grows readily, and 
the floating leaves provide an excellent shade for the fish, under 
which they delight to swim, and where they find also a quantity 
of natural food. The beauty of the flowers alone is very much in 
their favour, while they spread very slowly, and should the 
floating leaves at any time be in the way, it is a very easy matter 
to cut them. They will thrive wherever there is a fair depth of 
good soil, but do not grow well on a stony or sandy bottom— 
