CULTURE OF THE CARP IN CALIFORNIA. 665 



bered 3,000. Their growth and development, also, was proportionately 

 rapid. The original carp (two only of which now remain) measure over 

 two feet in length and weigh in the neighborhood of fifteen pounds. 

 The young have been known to increase rapidly also, in one year reach- 

 ing a length of 12 inches and weighing from six to eight pounds. 



The young of the carp have been sold to farmers throughout Califor- 

 nia and adjacent States, and some have been shipped even to the Sand- 

 wich Islands and Central America. Sonoma County, California, where 

 Mr. Poppe resided, has been pretty well stocked with them. Among 

 others who are engaged in the business of carp culture in this county 

 may be mentioned Mr. Levi Davis, of Forestvillej Mr. William Ste- 

 phens, Sebastopol ; Sylvester Scott, Cloverdale ; J. A. Kleiser, Clover- 

 dale ; Mr. Field, Petaluma ; H. T. Holmes, Santa Eosa ; A. V. Lamotte, 

 Sonoma, and others. Mr. Lamotte, by the way, is the superintendent 

 of the "Lenni Fish Association," a society composed principally of San 

 Francisco gentlemen, who have a great desire to encourage fish culture 

 in California. At the first opportunity I shall ask Mr. Lamotte to pre- 

 pare an outline of the labor of his society for publication in tlie forth- 

 coming report of the commission. 



The southern portion of the State is likewise well supplied with this 

 fish. Shipments have been made to San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and 

 adjacent counties. From all these localities come reports of the success 

 of the undertaking. The shipment to the Sandwich Islands was to a 

 Mr. Charles E. Bishop, a resident of Honolulu, who has extensive 

 grounds and numerous lakelets on his premises for their reception. 

 Mr. Bishop has not yet written concerning them, and consequently I 

 am unable to say what success has attended their introduction there. 

 Mr. Levi Davis, of Forestville, I believe has sold some of the young of 

 his carp, but in what quantity and for what price I am unable to say. 

 He has occasionally, also, written for the California press an account 

 of his labors. 



The carp on Mr. Poppe's farm are usually, and indeed almost wholly, 

 fed with the curd from the dairy. They have, however, repeatedly 

 shown a fondness for barley, wheat, beans, corn, pease, and coagulated 

 blood. Mr. Poppe was accustomed to say " they would eat anything a 

 hog would." In most ponds they find much of their food on tlie bot- 

 tom, such as vegetable matter, fungus, and other substances. The item 

 of expense for food is at most very small where the carp are on a farm, 

 for almost anything will do that perhaps but for their presence would 

 go to waste. 



As to the probable extent to which carp-culture may be carried in 

 California, and what its probable success wiU be, no one of course can 

 be able to say. That it can become profitable, I have not the least 

 doubt. The carp, more than any other fish common to us here in the ex- 

 treme west, is hardy, i^rolific, and does excellently in our waters. It can be 

 raised with much less trouble and expense than any other, and is as 



