886 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



acre, 800 beiug- the average. To cover possible risks, 100 more may be 

 added, as in the most successful pond slight losses are to be expected. 



In favorable ponds, where the carp is left to seek its food, it will have 

 gained a weight of about 1^ pounds in the ensuing autumn. In small 

 ponds, about one acre in size, where feeding is practiced, they will 

 weigh more. 



In the southern countries of Europe, in favorably situated ponds, they 

 will sometimes reach a weight of 2 pounds in the same space of time. 

 This I found to be the case in southern France ; however, these favora- 

 ble results are only attributable to the mildness of the climate, and I 

 doubt not that proportionably better results may be arrived at in the 

 south of this country. 



In ponds of small capacity, in which nourishing food is produced in 

 small quantities, the results of breeding are not very encouraging. 



An advantage will be gained in northern, colder countries, by leaving 

 the young fishes two summers in the breeding-ponds; that is, they are 

 transferred to a second, larger one, and only from this they pass into the 

 culture or real carp-ponds. This will answer especially well if the bot- 

 tom of the pond is poor, or if feeding has not the desired effect. 



This method is followed by many competent culturists in Germany 

 and Austria, who, in the possession of extensive lands and excellent, 

 numerous ponds, find it to their advantage, as it enables them to place 

 larger breeding-fishes in the carp-ponds, and though this is done a whole 

 year later, the loss of time is compensated for by the large size of the 

 fishes produced in the carp ponds. 



In the spring of the third year those fishes which have been one year 

 in the breeding-pond are transferred to the carp-ponds, the construction 

 of which I have described before. Fishes having been kept in the breed- 

 ing-pond for one summer only, without being fed, will be found to weigh 

 at the expiration of that time from 1 to 1^ pounds, while those which 

 remained there two summers will show a proportionally greater increase 

 of weight. In Southern Hungary and Croatia the fishes kept in the 

 breeding-ponds but one summer occasionally thrive more favorably. 

 Differences in the ratio of weight are commonly owing, as I observed 

 before, to climatic influence, and the greatest and most rapid increase 

 will be found in localities where there is an early spring and where the 

 months of September and October are warm, but particularly where 

 the nights are still and mild during spring and autumn. 



Breeding-ponds should have a certain number of fishes only placed in 

 them when they are stocked, and that number should never be exceeded. 

 For the culturist it is important to bear in mind that the younger the 

 transferable breeding-fishes are, the less expense they will have caused 

 and the sooner their money- value may be realized, all carps weighing 

 2^ pounds and more beiug for the market. 



To stock a culture-pond of one acre 400 to 500 carp, of one pound in 

 weight, will be required, and in the following year, or rather in the 



