14 
different growths can be held. Ponds to be used for black bass and in fact, 
most other fishes, ought to be several acres in extent and quite deep. In 
general, fishes kept in small ponds do not attain the size of those in large 
ponds since their range and food supply are restricted. 
Feeding.—lf large numbers of young black bass or calico bass are re- 
moved to safety to smaller ponds where they may exhaust the natural food | 
supply, it will be necessary to feed them. If they are put in small “nursery | 
ponds,” where they are crowded, feeding is imperative. The principal natural 
food of fish is fish, which should be perfectly fresh. For young fishes it must 
be cut and boned, then rubbed throtigh a fine wire screen. Adult fish kept 
in restricted quarters will also require feeding. They may be fed largely | 
on live minnows.- Among the fish foods used at the New York acquarium, 
are live minnows, live shrimp, chepped fish, beef, liver and clams. It is a 
mistake to suppose that fishes do not require an abundance of food. They 
may live without it but cannot grow. 
Water Plants.—About one quarter of the ordinary pond should be as shal- 
low as 10 or 12 inches and planted with pond weeds, such as potamogeton, 
parrots-feather (myriophyllum), water-celery (vallisneria), hornwort (cera- 
tophyllum) and cabomba. Suitable plants for the purpose may be found in 
most streams and ponds, and there are many others than those mentioned. 
Water plants that are satisfactory in some regions may, however, not be so 
in others farther north or south. Water plants are necessary as shelter for 
young fishes, and greatly increase the various forms of small aquatic life 
necessary for their food. They also serve to aerate the water, which is most 
important in small and sluggish ponds. They may be planted by tying to 
stones and dropping them from a boat, or set in the ground after the water 
has been partially lowered The slightly greater depths, from one to three 
feet, may be planted with water-lillies, while the more extensive and deeper 
portions should be kept clear of vegetation. If the vegetation becomes too 
thick it can usually be pulled out with a rake, but it is sometimes necessary 
to cut it with the scythe. Willow and other trees should be planted at some 
points to furnish shade. Aquatic insects, crustaceans and mollusks, bred 
among pond weeds, constitute no small feature of the ponds food supply. 
It is recorded in the “American Fish Culturist,” that an electric light over 
a certain pond was found to attract inserts which fell in the water in such 
numbers as to supply an important quantity of fish food. If the pond weeds, 
together with the brook minnows, frogs, crustaceans and other small fry 
which are to establish the natural supply of food, can be introduced a year 
before the stock fish are put in, the conditions for success will be greatly im- | 
proved. 3 
Spawning Places.—Fish-ponds should be supplied with spawning conditions 
suitable to the fishes occupying them. Small-mouthed black bass, which 
make their nests in gravel, will require gravelly bottom. Large-mouthed 
black bass, which nest among the roots of plants, will find the conditions. 
they require among the weeds of the pond. Yellow perch, which spawn 
among twigs under water, are easily accommodated—pieces of brush may be 
set firmly in the bottom where the water is shallow, in the branches of 
which they will deposit large whitish masses of spawn. If the brush tops 
extend several inches above the surface of the water, so they will be swayed 
by the wind, and kept free of sediment, the hatching of masses of spawn will 
‘be greatly facilitated. Rock bass and the various species of sun fish which, 
like the small-mouthed black bass, make their nests in gravelly places, will 
absolutely require places of that character if they are expected to increase 
and a few carloads of gravel dumped around the lake in water about two 
feet in depth will furnish the necessary conditions. 
Since ponds, to be successful, must have proper spawning conditions, some 
study of the habits of pond fishes is important, and there are numerous 
helpful books available. It is now the custom-with professional fish-cultur- 
ists to supply artificial spawning nests in ponds containing small-mouthed 
black bass. These are small shallow boxes about two feet square filled with 
