ivers. Other coarse
fish are as a rule easy to introduce into a water. Though perch fry form
excellent food for trout, perch, and of course pike, should be kept out
of a trout water.

The suitability of a water depends to a great extent (as to its capacity
of supporting a healthy stock of fish) upon its having plenty of
suitable vegetation upon the banks. Therefore if the banks are bare of
vegetation, willows and alders, as being quick growing and easily
established trees, should be freely planted upon the banks. This
fortunately is very easily done, for willow and alder sticks cut and put
into the ground in the spring are pretty sure to do well. It is needless
to say that the moister spots should be chosen for the willows, though
they will do well in suitable soil in comparatively dry places. Besides
giving shade and shelter to the fish, which is always an important
consideration, a considerable quantity of food is bred upon trees and
shrubs at the water side. I have found as many as eighteen caterpillars
in the stomach of a trout which I caught under an overhanging oak tree.

CHAPTER IV

TROUT. PRELIMINARY HINTS AND ADVICE

The amateur who is beginning trout culture had better by all means buy
eyed ova from a fish cultural establishment. There are many of these in
the British Isles, and nowadays eyed ova are packed and sent safely all
over the country. The artificial spawning of trout is not an undertaking
in which the beginner is likely to achieve great success, and therefore
I should advise him to avoid relying upon it when he commences his
operations as a fish culturist.

Collecting the ova of wild trout is also an operation of some
difficulty, and lays the beginner open to much more disappointment than
if he deals with eyed ova purchased from a reliable establishment.
Instead of having to watch and care for the ova through a critical and
dangerous period, he receives them shortly before the young fish hatch
out, when the ova are not in the most delicate stage.

It is of the greatest importance that everything should be ready for the
ova long before they are expected, as hurry and new apparatus are likely
to cause failure. Any concrete and varnished or enamelled woodwork
should be exposed to the action of a current of water for at least five
or six weeks before they are brought into actual use.

The choice of a suitable spot in which to make his hatchery is a serious
point for the consideration of t