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for manure. This cleaning of ponds, mufl never 
be done in a fpawning-pond, where it would be the 
dedrudtion of thoufands of fifh. 
Autumn is the befl feafon for catching fuch carp 
as are intended for the market. After the pond has 
been for five or fix years in conftant ufe, it is likewife 
time to let the water entirely off, and clear the pond of 
the mud, which often increafes too much, and be- 
comes a nuifance. When the pond is dry, it may 
be ploughed before the frofb fets in, and next fpring 
oats or barley fhould be fown in it, after a new 
ploughing; and it will repay the trouble to the owner 
with a rich and plentiful crop. When the loofe fu- 
perfluous mud is carried off out of the pond, care 
ought to be taken not to take the foil below the ori- 
ginal level of the pond. 
Some people fow a pond, which hath been laid dry 
for fome months, with oats ; and when they are grow- 
ing, they fill the pond with water, and introduce 
carp for fpawning, and think, by this contrivance, to 
procure food for the fifii and fomething to rub their 
bellies againll:. But this pradlice feems to be more 
noxious than beneficial ; for the growfing oats will 
putrefy, and communicate putridity to the water, 
which can by no means be falutary to the fifh. 
The epicures fometimes feed carp, during the 
colder feafon, in a cellar. The following method is 
the befi; that can be obferved for that purpofe. A 
carp is laid on a great quantity of wet mofs, fpread 
on a piece of net, which then is gathered into a purfe, 
and the mofs fo contrived, that the whole fifh be en- 
tirely wrapt np in it: however, care mull: be taken 
to give the fifli eafe, and not to fqueeze it, fo that 
T t 2 it 
