BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 33 



Vol. IV, No, 3. lVa!!ihm$;toii, D C. April », 1884. 



11 TBE SEI.ECTIOIV OF «»ITE« AIVO THE CONSTRI'CTIOIV OF CARP 



POIVDS. 



By S. G. WOKTH. 



[From the Monthly Bulletin of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, August, 



1883.: 



The cultivation of carp or other fish in pouds is atteuded with suc- 

 cess only after requisite i)reparatiou iu the first place, followed up by 

 a reasouable amount of care and watchfulness. 



I very greatly fear that the majority of fish-ponds are improperly lo- 

 cated or improperly built. Upon the water and soil depend the ratio of 

 growth. 



Sites fob Caicp ponds. — This is one of the best watered sections in 

 the world, possessing small and large streams in every quarter. The 

 extensive flat alluvial or made lands which lie along the creeks are the 

 places for the best-paying ponds, such placets as make the best corn, but 

 there are very few persons in North Carolina who are justified in going 

 into pond-building on a large scale this year. They have no means of 

 stocking such large ponds until the fish first distributed have spawned. 



A large number of ponds which will be built during the next twelve 

 months will be small, and used ultimately for breeding or hatchiug pur- 

 poses, and I take this occasion to call attention to the various localities 

 which offer advantages for these and larger ponds. The most valuable 

 ponds for growing carp will be on creeks, but these are the most costly 

 and the most difiicult to maintain. 



Casting about for the most advantageous jioint to construct a pond, 

 it will be observed that there are five classes naturally presented. 

 With these in mind, I believe there are many persons who, having de- 

 spaired of finding a proper place on their lauds, will, after further search, 

 discover all necessary conditions for making as good ponds as they 

 wish. 



I. Near the source of springs. — Ponds of this class will always 

 be in favor. The advantages are, slight liability to overflow and close 

 proximity to dwellings. They are more often visited, the fish are more 

 easily protected against birds and snakes and can be domesticated more 

 quickly ; but the coldness of the water produces a comparatively slow 

 growth. Such ponds are useful for hatching purposes, but the area is 

 generally too small for the extended growing of fish, except when high 

 dams are built, and these are risky. Besides, there is generally but a 

 small area of rich soil at spring heads, and consequently a scarcity of 

 insect life. Hill-side ditches, made chiefly with the plow, will sufli- 

 Bull. U. S. F. C, 84 3 



