Evening star., 1950-10-08

upper Virginia is rapidly be-
coming a Land O. Lakes"
During the last three years
more than $50 modern farm ponds
have been built in the Piedmont
area, between Newmarket and
Manassas, according to c. E
Koontz of Winchester, district con-
Servationist for the United States
Department of Agriculture. His
experts. employed in the Soil Con-
servation Service, have provided
the skilled advice. technical study
and engineering required by pond
owners.
In Fairfax County alone, about
so ponds have been constructed
under the guidance Of conserva-
zionist. Harry r. Parks of Ma
nassas, who reports that better
than dozen are being built right
now.
Fairfax ponds built in 1850 are
being stocked this month. with
1900 bass and $4,000 bluegills OF
Dream from the Federal fish
hatchery at Leetown, w. Va. This
means that next year and here
after, there will be new field of
opportunity for local anglers.
It's an odd thing about fish
ponds that the more they are
f1Shed, the better is the fishing.
They cannot be fished too much
Unless the bass population is kept
down rather steadfastly, the COM
petition for the bluegills on which
they feed becomes so intense that
the bass do not become sizeable.
First Made in 1947.
The first modern farm pond in
Upper Virginia was built as re-
Gently as 1947 and is located on
the Dranesville farm of Leo
Rocca. Washington automobile
dealer. One of the largest-cov-
ering about 2 acres-was started
last year by. Herbert Bryan. a
Federal examiner whose home is
near Chain Bridge road in Lang
ley. Within 1000 feet of Bryan's
pond are two others. This chain
|of small lakes holds more than
a million gallons of stored water
which has been made available to
the Mclean Volunteer Fire Co.,
Ia supply adequate for use on
structures within a radius of a
half mile.
However, the main utility of
ponds is in providing large sup
ply OF water for livestock. Pied
mont farmers long ago would have
turned gladly from a corn-and-
wheat program to pasture and
stock raising except for the fact
that the region had only one
river, few swift streams and no
natural lakes. Ponds, plus ladino
clover and new varieties of grasses
are bringing back to the soil OF
the region some of the fertility
familiar to the Lees, Washing
tons and other large owners in
days when farming along the
Potomac was indeed a prosperous
venture.
Farm ponds, however. usually
cannot be built In the tidewater
country. The modern, scientifi-
oally built dam requires an i'm
pervious clay bottom and a packed
soil that will retain steep sides
in the ponds. The new ponds
grow no mosquitoes or cat-tails.
Their waters are likely to be both
clear and deep. Usually, they
furnish good swimming.
The ideal location is back wher,
the Piedmont clay foothills begin
Ravines and hollows furnish al.
most natural sides. The smaller
the water supply the better, be.
cause the danger from floods Il
lessened. Many of the upper Vir.
ginia ponds depend solely upon
rainwater. For every acre Of pone
there should be 10 to IL acres o.
waterland above the dam, prefer,
ably planted in turf.
Guesswork in making ponds Is
eliminated by calling in Govern.
ment conservationists. They sur.
vey prospective sites, make test