BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 215 



Las seemed wonderful, and yet it is probably not more so than is that 

 of a pig of good breed, supplied with all the food of the best quality that it 

 can digest and assimilate. In this particular of being able to consume 

 large quantities of food and make a corresponding growth, carp seem 

 to resemble this greedy animal more closely than any other with which 

 we are familiar. What they will do at their very best is a question of 

 much interest, yet of much less practical importance than to ascertain 

 what growth they will make under ordinary circumstances; that is, 

 placed in a suitable pond, and left to take care of themselves. 



Careful inquiry in regard to a considerable number of the fish dis- 

 tributed by the Commission during the season of 1881 in the latitude of 

 Middle New Jersey has led me to the conclusion that at the close of 

 their third summer, or in the autumn of 1883, they had attained an 

 average weight of 4 i pounds. 



in order to determine how nearly the growth of carp under an ordi- 

 nary system of culture will compare with that of these particular fish, 

 two facts must be taken into consideration. It must be remembered 

 that the young fish distributed by the Commission were very small — 

 much smaller indeed than fish of the same age bred under ordiuarily 

 favorable circumstances. Our national breeding ponds at Washington 

 were taxed to their utmost to supply the wants of the thousands of 

 applicants for young carp; andthough of comparatively limited capacity, 

 under the skilful management of Dr. Hessel, who has the special care 

 of them, were made to yield 100,000 young fish for distribution; of 

 necessity, therefore, they were small. While under ordinary culture 

 young fish will during their first summer reach a length of from 3 to 4 

 inches, and frequently much larger, many of those distributed were 

 only 2 inches long. It is obvious^ therefore, that at the close of their 

 third summer they would not have attained the size they would have 

 done had they had a better start. No animal stunted while young will 

 ever entirely recover, no matter how favorable the circumstances under 

 which it may be afterwards placed. 



And this brings us to the other fact referred to, namely, that many of 

 these young fish were more favorably situated for rapid growth than 

 young fish usually are in a well-established system of carp culture. 

 One thousand fish to an acre of water for their second year, and half 

 as many for their third year, is said to be a suitable number for ordi- 

 nary ponds. But in providing for the fish received from the Commis- 

 sion in many instances comparatively large ponds had been prepared, 

 so that the 20 little fellows found themselves the sole occupants of 

 acres of water with abundance of food scattered everywhere arouud 

 them, so they had opportunities for growth such as do not ordinarily 

 fall to the lot of young carp. 



The two facts named may be considered as about balancing each other, 

 and the conclusion is reached that 4i pounds is the normal weight they 

 may be expected to attain in this latitude, at the close of their third 



