CHAPTER IV. 
FISH PONDS—-HOW TO STOCK THEM. 
Preparation—Stocking—Carrying live trout—Dipping the trout—Transit— 
Large fish—Two-year-olds—Vearlings—Fry—Nursery ponds — Water plants— 
Turning out fry — Pry in rivers — Excellent travellers — Glass carriers— 
Advantages of —Equalizing temperature—Fish killed by thoughtlessness— Wooden 
carriers—.\letal—Travelling trout in August—Care required—Fully eyed ova— 
Trout at the Antipodes—American work—Successes, 
ORE who has any knowledge of farming or gardening, 
knows perfectly well that unless the ground is properly 
prepared, and the seed sown at the right time and in the right 
way, the future crop will probably not be a great success. Just 
so it is with fish ponds. 
Attention has already been drawn to the needful preparation 
of the ponds, and this having been duly attended to, the water is 
ready to receive the crop. It may be produced from eggs (ova), 
or by transplanting the fish themselves. The latter course is the 
one that has hitherto been most generally adopted. ‘There are 
cases in which owners of ponds do not wish to wait, but to have a 
crop of large fish at once. In such a case, winter is the best time 
for the fish to be transferred, and if possible, during a frost. The 
fish are then more easily carried from place to place, and will bear 
handling better. 
Years ago an idea prevailed that in carrying living trout, the 
two things needful were to aérate the water vigorously, and to 
change it whenever possible. Thus we find many elaborate 
contrivances have been invented for this purpose. For all the 
trout I ever carried—and I have travelled with them to all parts 
of Britain, long journeys, both by sea and land—I never used any 
aérating machine, but an ordinary lading-can of about a gallon 
capacity. I believe a pair of bellows may at times be useful, but 
I have never yet required them. The great secrets of carrying fish 
successfully are attention to temperature and an empty stomach. 
