utumn or Spring: the sale is regulated by measure, from the eye
to the fork of the tail. At twelve inches, carp are worth 50_s._ and
3_l._ per hundred; at fifteen inches, 6_l._; at eighteen inches, 8_l._
and 9_l._ A hundred stores will stock an acre; or 35 brace, 10 or 12
inches long, are fully sufficient for a breeding pond. The first year
they will be three inches long; second year, seven; third year, eleven
or twelve; fourth year, fourteen or fifteen. This year they breed."

[Sidenote: THOMAS MARCHANT'S HEADACHES]

Although fish-breeding is not what it was, many of the Sussex ponds are
still regularly dragged, and the proceeds sold in advance to a London
firm. Sometimes the purchaser wins in the gamble, sometimes the seller.
The fish are removed alive, in large tanks, and sold as they are wanted,
chiefly for Jewish tables. But we must return to Thomas Marchant:--

"January 16th (Sunday) 1715. I was not at church having a bad
headache.

"January 25th, 1715. We had a trout for supper, two feet two inches
long from eye to fork, and six inches broad; it weighed
ten-and-a-half pounds. It was caught in the Albourne Brook, near
Trussell House.... We staid very late and drank enough.

"April 15th, 1715. Paid my uncle Courtness 15_d._ for a small
bottle of Daffey's Elixir.

"July 18th, 1715. I went to Bolney and agreed with Edw. Jenner to
dig sandstone for setting up my father's tombstone, at 5_s._ I gave
him 6_d._ to spend in drink that he might be more careful.

"August 7th, (Sunday) 1715. I was not at church as my head ached
very much.

"November 22nd, 1716. Fisht the great pond and put 220 of the
biggest carp into the new pond, and 18 of the biggest tench. Put
also 358 store carp into the flat stew, and 36 tench; and also 550
very small carp into a hole in the low field.

"November 24th, 1716. Fisht the middle pond. Put 66 large carp into
the new pond, and 380 store tench into the flat stew, and 12 large
carp, 10 large tench, and 57 middle sized tench into the hovel
field stew.

"June 12th, 1717. I was at the cricket match at Dungton Gate
towards night.

"January 24th, 1718. A mountebank came to our towne to-day. He
calls himself Dr. Richard Harness. Mr. Scutt and I drank tea with
the tumbler. Of his tricks I am no judge: but he appears to me to
play well on the fiddle.