662 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



of a hundred acres there are at least a dozen. They make their appear- 

 ance on the surface of the ground ; sometimes even they seem to come 

 out of the soUd rock ; then, after winding through innumerable channels, 

 find their way into Sonoma Creek. Ko accurate and exhaustive analy- 

 sis of the water has yet been made to the knowledge of the writer, and 

 consequently it cannot be stated definitely what its properties are. 

 Moreover, it is of different degrees of temperature in the different 

 springs, in some being quite warm {86'^) and in others much less so. 

 That in the carp ponds has a uniform temperature of 74°. The water, 

 too, is very soft, and contains the salts of sodium, sulphur, and magne- 

 sium in solution. 



Mr. Poppe has seven ponds on his farm, all artificially constructed, at 

 a cost of much labor and expense. They follow one another closely, 

 being separated only by a levee or embankment of 8 or 10 feet. The 

 first or upper one is perhaps 200 feet above the level of Sonoma Creek, 

 and is 150 feet square. It covers an area before clothed with springs, 

 and has an average depth of nearly 5 feet. The embankment at the 

 lower end is 10 feet wide and about 6 feet high. The general method 

 employed by Mr. Poppe in making his ponds is substanticiliy as follows: 

 The area was first definitely determined, and then plowed up with a 

 strong iron-beam plow as deep as possible. The soil was then removed 

 with the ordinary road-scrapers, and deposited on the lower end of the 

 projected pond to serve as a levee. An alternate plowing and scraping 

 was continued until the necessary depth was obtained. On account of 

 the presence of the springs, and the consequent accumulation of water, 

 the labor of construction was oftentimes anything but pleasant. After 

 the pond was completed, a main channel through the center was dug 

 out, and an exit under the levee prepared ; a board wall was built on the 

 inside to prevent the eating out of the embankment by the water. This 

 was necessary on account of the prevailing west winds driving the water 

 to the east side, and thus destroying it. The water was then allowed to 

 rise, and finally passed off through a broad canal to the other side. 

 Where this last pond terminated the succeeding one began. The land 

 has a sufficient slope to insure a uniform fall of water from one pond to 

 the other. 



In a similar manner aU the other ponds were constructed. The last 

 three are by far the largest and most elaborate. In addition to these 

 just spoken of, which are breeding ponds, &c., there are two others, used 

 for the temporary reception of the carp prior to their being transported 

 to other localities. These ponds are a great deal smaller than the oth- 

 ers, but serve quite as distinct and valuable a purpose. It would not be 

 convenient to let the water off the large ponds every time a quantity of 

 the fish were to be sold ; so, on an occasion of this kind, they are taken 

 from the receiving ponds with little or no trouble and inconvenience. 



I have now described tLe carp ponds proper, and yet there remains 

 one concerning which something should be said. Nearer the foot-hiUs, 



