The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-10-31
farnlers' Column,
Is Speed the PIOsU.o
Fish Culture.

Many of our farmers have brooks of more
C: less volume flowing through their lands,
which may be utilized in making ponds
for such fishes as live naturally in water of
orndiary brook or creek temperature, while
others have springs, which may be turned
to profit in raising trout. AS the two IA
cllltles alluded to are quite different, it
VIII be necessary to treat of them and the
1lsh suitable for each separately, and as there
are likely more persons having brooks on
their premises than those who own good
springs, l shall endeavor to show how the
the former may be turned to advantage.
The size ola pond should, of course, de-
pend on the volume Of water intended to
feed it. With II tour-inch pipe, running
full, one may have a pond of half an acre,
with II slX-lnch pipe, one acre or more
AS before intimated, have reference now
to ordinary brook or creek water, and the
varieties of fish not including trout, which
require colder water In such pond, fresh
water bass, sun fish, suckers, gold fish,
clubs and the homely but excellent cat
fish can be multiplied by proper care, and
afford the farmer and his children sport, as
well as palatable and wholesome food.
A pond may be fed by the entire brook
or a lead may be used to obtain the desired
supply from larger stream. If a pond is
made by building the dam across the natu-
raj course, which is generally i'll, a hollow,
where it is subject to freshets, one may
have it torn out, or his fish washed over
1t is therefore desirable, when the lay of
the land will allow of it, to turn the course
partially, or wholly, as the case may be,
and lead the stream to site where high
water will not affect it, and allowing the
surplus water, in heavy rains, to follow the
old bed of the brook. This can easily be
done by throwing a small dam across the
the stream or placing a tank and having
water gate, which will allow only the or
binary volume Of the brook to enter the
lead.
The pond should be of unequal depth
| throughout-in some places four or five
! feet, in others shallow, particularly on the
margin. 1t is desirable that the bottom
in some parts should be of pebbles or small
stones for suitable breeding places for bass
and sun fish, and that an abundant variety
of aquatic plants should be introduced
The object OF encouraging the growth of
| plants is two or even threefold. They sup
ply oxygen to the water, keeping it pure.
Innumerable flies and insects deposit their
eggs on them, which in time become larve
\suldll WoiLlSJ, ANU HllHulc mOluCcS ana
fresh crust@ harbor in them, all of water
which are food for fish. Besides this, they
are place of refuge for the young fish from
the large predatory fishes. 1t will also be
well to stock the pond with small worthless
Species as minnows, stone fish, sinners, or
roach, ETC.. as food for the bass and sun
fish Pike by all means, should be exclu-
ded, for they feed almost entirely ON other
fish, while the food of bass consists much
of food already mentioned az being found
on water plants.
The harm which musk rats are SO apt to
work to pond may be obviated by sim
ply enclosing it with pail fence, the ends
of pickets entering the ground three or
four inches, and being close enoug!,-ta OK
clude these mischievous animals.
rats always commence their holes IL
water and extend them into the bal /.
as it is their nature not to burrow {.
other way, with this inexpensive pS
ton one need feel no apprehension &i---
inroad from them.
The eggs of any of the fish mentioned for
such pond cannot be obtained by manip-
ulating the parent fish, as is done with
trout; they therefore, cannot be purchased,
but to stock pond, brood fish must be in
troduced.-Journal Of the Farm.