BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 159 



half years old. The pouds arc distributed in the following maimer : 

 From 12 to 15 acres are assigned to the young fry ; 12 to 15 i^er cent of 

 their entire water-area contains one-year-old carp; 18 to 25 percent 

 two year-old carp ; and in the remaining portion the three-year-old lish 

 are kept, and in some years a few four-year-old fish, that is, those which 

 had not yet reached the necessary size when three and one-half years 

 old. A certain water area is set aside for wintering fish ; and the ponds 

 used for this purpose should be 7 feet deep, and if i)ossible should be 

 traversed by some running water containing air. Spring-water is well 

 adapted to these ponds, because it does not freeze in winter. 



The salable carp are, at Gustafsberg, x)laced in good-sized boxes with 

 slat sides, which are set in a brook with a rapid current and clear water. 

 Thus the fish can easily be got at when they arc to be sold. In the 

 brook-water they also very soon lose the peat or mud taste which they 

 have when taken out of the ponds. 



Late in autumn, in winter, and early in spring, carp do not, as a 

 general rule, eat anything, nor do they grow. 



Mr. Wendt has, at j)reseut, sixty-four car}) i^onds, covering an area 

 of about 2,700 acres. The largest are lakes which have been laid dry. 

 The average expense per annum is about CO crowns [$10.08] per 3 acres, 

 and sometimes it is even a little higher. 



During the last two years from 30,000 to 45,000 i^ouuds of carp have 

 been sold from Gustafsberg. Some of them are sent to Stockholm and 

 Copenhagen, where they bring 75 ore [20 cents] per pound. But the 

 principal market for these carp is Lubeck, Germany, where GO to 07 ore 

 [about IG cents] is paid per pound. The cost of transporting carj) from 

 Gustafsberg to Stockholm is about 8 ore, and to Lubeck 5 ore per i^ound, 

 if the carp are shipped alive in casks filled with water. Sup[)osing 

 that the price of carp at Gustafsberg was 50 ore [13.8 cents] per pound, 

 these carp ponds have nevertheless yielded an income of 15,000 to 

 22,500 crowns [|4,020 to 8G,030J in two years, or a gross revenue of 

 from 20 to 30 crowns [$5.3C to $8.04] per 3 acres. Mr. Wend t calculates 

 that there is on an average an increase of 100 pounds per year, for 

 every 3 acres. If all the ponds were filled with water every year and 

 if this calculation remains correct, the gross receipts would be mucli 

 higher. In Holstein people count on a net income of 27 crowns [-$7.13] 

 per 3 acres from carp ])onds. For most of the carp ponds near Eeiuleld, 

 in Ilolstein, 85 crowns [$22.78] were paid per 3 acres during the years 

 1874 to 1884, when the price of carp was very high 5 but these pon<ls 

 are particularly fine and very productive. For the large i)onds near 

 Peitz, in Lusatia (9,000 acres in extent), a rent of 48,000 crowns [$ 12,804] 

 per annum was paid ; that is, IG crowns [$4.28] per 3 a(;res— the gross 

 receipts from which were 43.20 crowns [$11.57] per 3 acres. 



It is not easy to make any calculations as to the exact ])rofit wJiich 

 will be derived from carp ponds; since, as in farming, llicu-e arc years 

 of failure and disappointed liopes. 



