BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 27 



The demand for carp in the State is far beyond our present ability to 

 supply. This is not Surprising when it is known that they grow from min- 

 nows to three and four pound fish in one summer. And this is not all. 

 They do this without being artificially fed ; and if it should for any reason 

 become desirable to feed them, they will eat grain and vegetables 

 freely. Names are daily added to the list of applications. It is a great 

 pleasure to note this fact, but we beg all those who applied later than 

 January 20 not to expect any fish before October or November, for it 

 is impossible to supply them. 



The board of agriculture, at the last meeting, favored the construc- 

 tion of suitable ponds for breeding the carp at home. Much care has been 

 taken in the selection of a site for the ponds near Ealeigh. We pro- 

 pose to build breeding ponds and hatch sufficient quantities annually 

 to supply many ponds throughout the State. 



From many sources I learn that dams have broken, and that the carp 

 have escaped, and as a general thing the application is renewed. Now, 

 'it cannot be expected that we should furnish such ponds with another 

 shipment the present season, until, we have sent each applicant one lot. 

 This we have to refuse, for we cannot get fully around the first time 

 with the short stock at our command. 



The dams should be packed down and built at least two feet above 

 the level of the water, and as a rule, the waste water should be carried 

 around one end of the dam, through the hillside. 



No time should be lost during the present spring season to introduce 

 water plants into the ponds containing the carp. For this purpose the 

 water lilies and cresses are excellent, and in no case should the ponds 

 be left unprovided. 



SPAWXHVG OF CARP IIV A SMALL BASBiV AT B BSE IV HAW, TEXAS. 



By T. W. IHORRISS. 



(Letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.) 



Two years ago I procured of your department some carp. The largest 

 are now about 2 feet long. This spring I constructed a small basin in 

 my yard in which I placed five of them — a haphazard move, for I did 

 not know the male from the female. About the 10th of this month I 

 discovered a large number of young fish, which are now about 2 inches 

 in length. My object in this arrangement is to hatch them in my small 

 pools and, when large enough to take care of themselves, to place them 

 in my ponds, of which I have four separated by dams. The ponds 

 altogether are about 400 yards long, from 50 to GO feet wide, and vary- 

 ing in depth from three to ten feet, with muddy bottom. 



Beenham, Tex., May 17, 1882. 



