76 THE GAME BREEDER 



FISH PONDS ON FARMS. 



By Robert S. Johnson and M. F. Stapleton. 



U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. 



(Continued from the January number.) 



If a gravity flow of water is con- run or water course lower than th'e 

 templated, the fish pond must, of course, bottom of the proposed pond, to which 

 be located below the level of the source drain pipes may be conducted, 

 of supply. Porous soils are to be Ponds are drained for the purpose of 

 avoided, if possible, not only because of assorting fish, removing objectionable 

 the large volume of water required to species, reducing the stock, killing out 

 replace loss from seepage but because excessive vegetation, etc. Complete 

 they are usually sterile. Swamp lands, drainage can not be effected, of course, 

 old water courses, and catch basins of unless there are adjacent waters to 

 years' standing are the best and most which the fish can be removed during 

 productive soils, as they possess the this process. A number of small auxil- 

 required fertility and contain seeds iary ponds will always be found ad- 

 and spores for the early development vantageous in fish-cultural work. 

 of profuse vegetation and animalcula. Where the primary purpose is other 

 Ponds located in such soil will maintain than fish culture the selection of the 

 their water levels with a minimum in- site must depend upon the more im- 

 Aqyv. portant object in view. Fish culture 

 Satisfaction may be had from ponds will yield very satisfactory returns as 

 less favorably located, however, if good a secondary enterprise, but the site se- 

 sense is employed in their preparation lected for the work should by all means 

 and maintenance. Aside from the ideal be the best available consistent with 

 lands of alluvial deposits, clay loams the general scheme of farming opera- 

 are a first choice, being most nearly tions. 



impervious to water and quickly re- Pond Construction.. 

 sponsive to efforts made 'to establish The exact mode of construction must 

 their fertility. Sandy loam, being the depend largely upon local conditions, 

 most prevalent, is probably the most such as the presence or absence of favor- 

 general soil in use for pond construe- able land contour, the nature of the soil, 

 tion.- While some difficulty may at first proximity to storm channels and the 

 be experienced in making it retain area of the ground to be worked. Even 

 water, this is overcome in time^ by the with these features specified lesser local 

 accumulation of decayed vegetation, characteristics and the exigencies of in- 

 Its fertility is good and, in general, it. dividual circumstances will vary the ap- 

 produces a sufficient supply of natural pHcation of any approved general meth- 

 food. Even clear sand and gravel mix- od. Where practicable ponds should be 

 tures may be made to hold water and not less than 1 acre in surface area. Those 

 brought to fair productivity by increased of smaller extent will produce fish and 

 expenditures in construction, and by add an interesting feature to farm Hfe, 

 the appHcation of fertilizers in a man- but they will not yield adult food fishes 

 ner to be explained later. of the larger species in quantities suf- 

 It is very desirable, and also essen- ficient for the requirement of the aver- 

 tial for a marked degree of success, that age farmer's table. 



ponds be so located and constructed Natural draws or ravines involve the 



that they may be entirely emptied of least expenditure in their adaptation to 



water at certain seasons. To this end fish ponds, as two and frequently three 



there should be accessible a natural dry sides are already formed, so that an 



