Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-01-07

A<<A1~e
and worms that soon gather in pond
will quickly burrow into the dam and
start a small stream that will break
through a large earth dam in few
hours. To avoid these dangers the dam
must have central core that will be
imperyious to these animals. This is
made in this way:
After leveling the line of the.dam to
get the best place for it, which is the
! shortest line across the stream, the earth
is dug out and trench made the whole
length down to the hardpan or solid
clay. A row of posts as for fence is
then driven as deeply as possible along
the middle Of the trench. These should
be six feet apart Boards are then nailed
to these posts closely as for a fence, but
leaving no spaces between the boards.
It will be safest to double these boards,
so as to prevent any leakage through
the orevices. Earth is then filed into
the trench ON each side of the boards
and we'll puddled with water and trod-
den or beaten down until the trench is
filled level.
The waste gate is then put in. This
is made by laying down platform
of boards or planks on the ground
on each side of the center of the
dam of sufficient width to permit
the stream to flow at the highest
stage Of the water. Framing is then
made on each side of this platform and
boarded up the full size Of the dam.
This should be made of slope of Is
inches to each foot in height and with
width on top of at least two or three
feet, as shown in the illustration The
boarding on the frame should be on both
sides. and the space between the boards
must be filed with clay we'll puddled
and rammed. The waste gate is provid-
ed with movable fash boards to raise
the water when desired.
The first diagram shows the shape of
this frame, and equally of the dam as it
will appear when it is finished. The
waste gate is shown by the second illus
tration. The center boarding is made as
much below the level of the rest of it in
this gate as will afford ample room for
the highest water to flow over and thus
avoid washing away the top of the dam.
This is matter for calculation in each
case. Tt is better to use two inch plank
ON both sides of the center of this gate
than boards. This will give more
strength to it if the dam is over FIVE feet
high. The joining of this central board
ing of the dam to this frame of the gate
should be tight, SO that water may not
escape through it and injure the earth
work.
The earth may now be + ce.n into
the dam and thoroughly packed down
by ramming and pudding Nothing but
clean earth must go into it, no sods or
top soil or stones can be admitted. 9th
erwise the water will soak through,
finding channels along any stones or
roots or rubbish, and any little stream
will cut its way quickly into washout
1t is we'll to take the earth for the dam
from the inside. as it will deepen the
pond, and deep holes are very desirable
as hiding places for the fish, Large
stones, too, are beneficial as affording
rubbing places for the fish and shelter
in which to conceal themselves. All
kinds of fish are bothered with vermin
as much as other animals, and some
times lice will destroy the whole stock,
or a sort Of fungus will grow on the
skin, and unless there are rubbing
places provided the fish cannot free
themselves from these parasites. Old
stumps. logs and roots, too, are useful
in the pond, making places for the
growth of several kinds of organisms as
diatoms and other infusoriaI animalcu-