[13] ARTIFICIAL FEEDING OF CARP. 1021 



feeding will thus quickly be repaid. Experience lias sbown tbat the 

 quantity of food in the ponds decreases as the weather grows cooler, 

 and in September one cannot count on more than about 10 per cent, of 

 the total increase. If the carp, therefore, cannot be sold during that 

 month, it is to be feared that in October the fish lose in wi ight — c.t any 

 rate do not increase in weight. During the months above referred to, 

 recourse should be had to artificial feeding. 



Besides excrements of cattle, the flesh of dead animals can, in most 

 cases, be easily procured, or blood and scraps of meat can be bought 

 from the butchers at a cheap price. Such matter simply thrown into 

 the water near the bank of the pond serves either directly as food for 

 the fish, or maggots and worms form in it, small aquatic animals gather 

 round it, and ample food is thus provided for the fish. With regard to 

 dead animals it should be observed that large animals should not be 

 thrown into the water whole, but cut in medium sized ])ieces, so as to 

 avoid the danger of poisoning the water and thereby injuring the fish. 

 Such i)ieces of flesh should always be about 20 to '^0 centimeters under 

 the surface. 



Pieces of flesh, or small dead animals may also be placed free on 

 poles stuck in the bottom of the pond. The maggots forming in such 

 decaying animal matter will then fall into the water and become a prey 

 to the fish. 



Wherever there are distilleries, the slops from them may be thrown 

 into the water near the bank of the pond, and will form a cheap and 

 good food. Thus it was stated in Xo, 8 of the Deutsche FischereiZeitung, 

 1878, that by feeding GO liters of slops per week, in a pond measuring 

 500 cubic meters, from April 10 to November 0, 104 carp weighing each, 

 on an average, 0.25 to 0.50 kilograms, reached an average weight of 

 1.375-1.G25 kilograms. 



Potatoes that are a little rotten, and other roots, may also be used 

 for food. 



In years when cockchafers are plentiful, they may be gathered and 

 thrown into the i)ond, thus furnishing the carp with a favorite and 

 strengthening food, and ridding the country of an insect which often 

 becomes injurious to vegetation. Whenever there are breweries in con- 

 nection with farms, their refuse, such as spoiled malt, husks, malt which 

 has commenced to germinate, refuse from the barley, &c., maj' also be 

 profitably employed as food for carp. Such matterial, when used in this 

 way, will yield greater profits than when used for feeding cattle. 



If there are clover fields or meadows near the ponds, the carp may 

 be supplied with ample natural food by cutting grass, clover, or lucern, 

 during the months between May and August, chopping it fine, pouring 

 water on it, and then distributing it in small stacks in sunny places 

 near the banks of the pond, so that it may be thoroughly warmed. On 

 the following morning water should be again poured on these stacks, and, 

 without being disturbed in any way, they should be again exposed to the 



