e stakes till the
head-sides be of a convenient Height: Taking care, that the inside of
your Banks be smooth, even, hard and strong, that you may not fear the
wearing of the Earth off the stakes by any Current of the Water.

Having thus digged about _eight foot deep_, that so it may carry about
_six foot_ VVater, pave all the _bottom_ and the Banks of the Pond with
large Sods of _Flot-Grass_, laying them very close together, pin them
down fast with small stakes and windings: This Grass is a great Feeder
of Fish, and grows naturally under VVater. Stake down to the bottom of
one side of the Pond divers Bavens and Brush-VVood-Faggots, into which
the Fish may cast their spawn, and preserve it: In another place lay
Sods upon Sods, the grass sides together to nourish and breed _Eels_.

The Pond being thus made, let in the Water, and now observe to store it
thus: Put your _Carp_, _Breame_ and _Tench_ by themselves: _Pike_,
_Pearch_, _Eel_ and _Tench_ (the Fishes Physician) by themselves; & for
Food of the greater Fishes, as well as Meat for your greater Dishes, put
good store of _Roach_, _Dace_, _Loach_ and _Menow_; and Lastly to every
one _Melter_ put three _Spawners_, and in three Years the Increase will
be great; and in five Years with difficulty destroyed.

At the end of three Years _Sue your Pond_; which you must ever continue
so to do, for that the _Roach_, &c. will increase in such abundance,
that eating up the sweetest food, will make your other Fish, as _Carps_,
&c. be lean and hunger-starved: And therefore every Year view your Pond,
and observe if any such Fry appears; and use your Discretion.

And because the _Carp_ is a Fish of a general Acceptation, and is of a
_bon goust_ almost in every mans palate; and being by the aforesaid
little Devourers and Multiplyers, very often Deceived in your
expectation of a fat _Carp_, large and sweet; I shall insert here an
excellent VVay of making _Carps_ grow to an extraordinary Bigness in a
Pond.

_To make _Carps_ grow large, &c._

About the Month of _April_, when you perceive your Pond grow low in
VVater, rake all the sides where the VVater is fallen away with an Iron
Rake, and sow _Hay-seeds_ there, and rake it well; and at the Latter end
of Summer you shall have good store of Grass: The _Winter_ being come
the VVater will encrease and over-top all the Grass, and there being
VVater enough to carry them, the _Carps_ will resort to the seeds, and
feed briskly and grow as