The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-04-19

i level plat of land is best for construc
e ing ponds, and no more soil should
s removed than is necessary to furni;
e material for the dams or levees. tt
levee, which serves the double purpol
of keeping the pond water in and Il
= surface water out: should be in propol
2 ton to the desired depth OF water, bot
l as to It's height and transverse diamete
, at the base. Ii six feet depth is dt
sired, the embankment should be aboU
s feet high and from II to 20 feet !
+ diameter OF the base. a dam of smalle
proportions will frequently answer, bu
! it is certainly within the province {
, sound economy TO go little beyond th
actual requirements in each case. G
, course if the depth of water is not s
great, it is not essential to have tn
, dam so sigh, still it Is necessary {
have in mind the possibility of sudde
kheavy transforms or so-called waite
spout. In large ponds the levees shoul'
be higher and stronger than for smal
ones of the same depth; not on accoun
of any greater water-pressure, but {,
resist the action of waves. 1t is essen
tia; that every pond should be proyldet
| with some means of draining It, 70
there may be times whenit is necessary
TO draw Off every drop Of waEer. til,
means of draining are best secured b,
| placing q pipe or number of pipe
under the dam where the depth of waite
is greatest. An iron pipe is decidedly
the best, and all things considered, i;
the cheapest, though one made OF plank
will last number of years, but is liable
to be leaky and otherwise occasion
| trouble. The size of the pipe or the
com bined cslibre of several pipes should
be in proportion to the amount OF water
to be discharged. The draining process
should be accomplished in not exceed
ing eighteen hours-one night and hall
a day.
The depth of pond need not aver
age more than three feet. The water
around the edges should be shallow for
some distance toward the center. The
carp feeds in shallow water and near
the margin. The shallow water may
be all at one side If the nature of the
ground will admit of it. There is OBJ
lection TO having the interior of pond
shaped like basin. There should be
place OF refuge for the fish in very cold
or hot weather.
The levees or dams should be COM
posed OF ordinary earthly MATERIAL
Stone walls are Objectionable, unless
they are entirely covered up and hide
den with soil. Stone walls are no better
than earth levees, and they are costly,
and furnish convenient harbors for
snakes, muskrats, etc. The black sticky
soil so common in bottom lands is sd-
mirable material for dams, as it soon
settles into a compact wall entirely inn
pervious TO water. The surface of the
aInnYH I,a cot lnxr,. ebo
edge in some kind of swamp or water
AS it gives them a more slightly appear
ance, and renders them all the more Sc
cure against wear or breaches. The
entrance of the water into the pond and
the exit from it should be through
cutters or troughs that extend beyond
the sloping of the levees, or they will
be cut through by the action OF the run
ming wator. The end of the trough
carrying the water should be several
inches above the level of the water in
the spawning pond SO as to give. tic
water slight plunge or fall to prevent
the young carp from escaping when
crowded, as they are inclined to do:
They are always inclined, 70 escape up
stream.
It has been suggested that the margin
of ponds be set with ever-bearing null
berry trees, kind of mulberry sold by
nursery men, that bears fruit all sum-
mer. The carp is exceedingly fond of
mulberries. and as has been iacstiously
remarked be will even ''climb the tree
after them"
Although the common plan in this
country is to supply ponds with water
from springs or small streams, tr Is un-
<s<a = 81, ~, ,hk hk..SVR
from creeks where the supply is not SO
limited and the quality of the water is
more suitable for carp breeding, being
warmer and more highly charged with
vegetable matter for the support OF in
sects than spring water. The cost of
damming q small creek and cutting a
ditch or miniature canal leading off TO
Il convenient site for pond or series of
ponds is not large. he amount OF
water lowing through is easily con-
trolied by a gate at the creek bank
The gate can be set to admit the desired
quantity OF water and no more, and il
IL is properly constructed it needs no
special watching during high-water or
rreshets, for the surplus water readily
passes over the dam and down the creek
channel.
A neighbor living on Kerrs was dis
cussing with me his plans for making
pond on q weak stream from his spring.
AS was chafing st the diminutive size
of my pond, having built il to accord
with the scant supply of water, sug-
gested to himNto abandon his spring
branch and get his water supply from
the creek, and pointed out the peculiar
facilities he enjoyed for making num-
Der OF ponds at small outlay. That
gentleman has now an abundant supply
Ol water, has constructed two ponds,
and says he is not out dollar except
Tor fish. He designs to continue to con-
struct ponds as fast as his carp increase.
Col. l.. D. Sugg is constructing a series
of ponds on q tributary OF the same
creek, and as he has constructed dam,
penstock and gates On an efficient and
durable plan, I would suggest to my
Giles county friends who desire to in
vestigate the subject OF pond-aAaking
that they make q visit to his place, in
spect his work already accomplished
and learn plans for future operations.
Mr.. 5. resides 40 miles from Pulaski on
the Fayetteville and Elkton turnpike,
and am assured that persons calling at
his house on fish business will find g
welcome. Mr.. ). is of the opinion that
after the water supply is secured, the
cost of constructing ponds in favOra BILE
situations, where there are no ob5truc>
tions 90 remove, such as heavy stones,
stumps or trees, the cost need not eX-
ceed fifteen dollsFs per acre where the
proper implements are used and the
labor does not cost over so cents day.
The proper implements are pick,
shovel, plough and a railroad scraper
or scoop. The steel railroad scraper
saves all shoveling. 1t costs about $I5
and is q durable Implement. One Of
them will accommodate community of
pond d-makers. 1t requires two horses
and two hands to operate it--one to
drive and one TO handle the scraper.
Doubtless the greatest bar to the con-
struction Of fish ponds is the prevalent
idea that pond must necessarily be o
costly hole in the ground, when the
fact is the very beau-ideal of fish pond
is one whose bottom is on a level with
the surface of the land outside. A pond
of this character is more cheaply con-
structed, the bottom soil is impregnated
with nitrogenous matter for the sRs-
tsnance of worms and water insects, and
draining pipe can be dispensed with.
4 stout hand with pick and shovel can
in a short while cut channel for drain
ing, which opening can bs retilled with
the soil removed. This is a crude pro-
cedure, however, and is to bs depTe-
Gated.
Carp Quiturists agree that the basil
hess OF carp raising Tor any purpose, but
more especially for market, is best con-
Quoted by having at least three ponds.