684 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



'bmig at the top. As this tub is not completely filled with water, a cer- 

 tain degree of motion keeps the water jjure and fresh, and in favorable 

 weather — cold weather is the best: — fish have successfully been sent to 

 Denmark, ' Eussia, England, Southern Italy, America, &c., without a 

 change of water. The journeys are generally not very long, as most of 

 the fish are sold in Germany and Austria. The risk and the difficulties 

 of transportation are therefore considerably diminished. 



The price of fish of course varies according to age, size, color, and 

 kind. The most expensive fish are the so-called "telescope-fish," which 

 are sold at $7.14 to $21.42 a pair ; next come the " dolphins " and " heads," 

 which sell at $11.90 a pair ; then the " double-tail" or "narwhal," which 

 are sold at $4.76 to $2.85 a pair 5 and finally those fish which are valued 

 on account of their j)eculiar coloring ; these are sold at $2.30 to $23.80 

 a hundred. 



In order to keep up with the constantly growing demand, Mr. Wag- 

 ner has been obliged to increase and enlarge his ponds fi'om time to 

 time, and a number of ponds which were originally destined for carps 

 have been appropriated for goldfish. In 1874 Mr. Wagner had 56 i^onds 

 and raised 99,500 fish ; in 1876 he raised 170,000 (50,000 of which he ex- 

 changed for imported fish) ; and in 1877-'78 he hsul 120 ponds and an- 

 nually raised 300,000 fish. 



That the Cyprinus auratus does not bear its name in vain, but produces 

 a golden harvest for its cultivator, is sufficiently proved by the fact that 

 Mr. Wagner has been obliged to constantly enlarge his establishment. 

 At the present time he employs a bookkeeper, a night watchman, an 

 attendant, and fifteen laborers (not counting the men employed in the 

 Berlin salesrooms), all of whom earn a good living, while his own an- 

 nual profits are very considerable. The same area used for agricultural 

 purjjoses would scarcely feed a single family. 



