4 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



pond. Any alder-marsh or peat-bog with some water can be transformed 

 into a carp pond by making a single dike with a pipe for drawing off the 

 water, which can then be kept at the required depth of one meter, and 

 be let off whenever necessary. By constructing this dike from the mud 

 of the pond itself a deep place is formed, the so-called " fish-pit," in 

 which, whenever the water is let off, all the fish gather, so that they 

 can easily be caught. 



But to return to the plan proposed by Mr. von dem Borne : This plan 

 simply consists in constructing such ponds near the shores of the Stet- 

 tiner Haff in every place where this can possibly be done. In these 

 ponds, which of course would be entirely free from pike, a number of 

 millions of young carp could be raised every year, and in autumn trans- 

 ferred to the Haff. If, for example, the entire 22,000,000 of carp are to 

 be raised in three years, the ponds referred to would have to produce 

 on an average a little more than 7,000,000 per annum. 



The principal point which Mr. von dem Borne desired to prove by the 

 draining of the ponds last week on his estate of Berneuchen, was that 

 whenever mature carp are allowed to propagate undisturbed, the result 

 is absolutely enormous. It was his object to give his visitors a correct 

 idea of a genuine fish harvest, such as will presumably be had in the 

 future in the Stettiner Haff. In answer to Mr. von dem Borne's friendly 

 invitation, a large number of gentlemen interested in pisciculture had 

 come to Berneuchen, among whom we noticed Councillor von Biinau, 

 superintendent of fisheries of the Stettiner Haff, and Forester Baron von 

 Dicker, both from Stettin; Governor von Heyden, Forester von Waldow, 

 Superintendent of Fisheries von Barnekor, all three from the district of 

 Frankfurt-on-the-Oder. The neighborhood of Berneuchen was repre- 

 sented by Councillor Jacobs, from the district of Landsberg, Councillor 

 von Kalkreuth-Hohenwalde, and the landed proprietors von Sydor- 

 Biirenfelde, von KlitzingCharlottenhof, and others. With his usual 

 hospitality, Mr. von dem Borne received his numerous guests in the 

 old and spacious mano house of Berneuchen, and made them feel 

 at home during their stay, which extended over a period of several days. 

 Every day a district of about 2 hectares or 8 acres was gone over with 

 the fishing apparatus, the water having been let off a few weeks before- 

 hand, so that the fish had all returned to the deepest place in the pond. 

 the so-called "fish-pit" referred toabove. In this place the water was only 

 knee-deep. About 9 a.m. we reached the ponds, after having traveled 

 for some time through dense forests. The dark, muddy water revealed 

 absolutely nothing of its contents, although its agitated surface indicated 

 that the muddy pool, scarcely measuring 30 paces in diameter, con- 

 tained numerous small and a number of large fish, which manifested 

 their presence by a greater or less commotion in the water. The fisher- 

 men soon commenced their work, and during the first forenoon went 

 over the so-called " Ma xa -pond." At the first haul the net could barely 

 hold the densely crowded mass of fish, which, in spite of the most vio- 



