THE CARP AND ITS CULTURE. 891 



Comparing the water of the Danube with that of the Mississippi, I 

 feel convinced that I may saiely assert that the carp would thrive 

 excellently in the latter, although its water appears to be even more 

 muddy and rapid than that of the Danube, and I believe this to be true 

 of the Missouri and Ohio and many others of its tributaries. The Mis- 

 sissippi has near its borders many spots where the current is slow and 

 which are partially covered with vegetation ; there are also numerous 

 creeks, where the fishes would find food plentifully in the alluvial mud 

 on the banks. What has been said of Mississippi will be found to be 

 the case with many other, or probably nearly all, American rivers. 

 They will be found to be adapted for the introduction of the carp, so 

 long as they are not mountain torrents which have to break their way 

 through rocky and pebbly ground. The increase of this fish is of great 

 importance from an economical point of view, especially so in regard 

 to the southwestern waters. 



Under the present circumstances it is to be hoped that the endeavors 

 which have been made for this purpose may before long be rewarded by 

 success, and become 2b fait accompli^ and that the difficulties which will 

 have to be overcome may not prevent the achievement of it. The effort 

 will and must meet with success at last. 



5. — TAKING THE FISH FROM THE PONDS. 



The emptying out of ponds demands the greatest caution and atten- 

 tion. The water must be made to flow oft' very gradually through the 

 several outlets, all of which are to be kept open at the same time ; it 

 requires frequently from ten to eighteen days to draw off the water. 

 The fishes are driven carefully and slowly with boats into the principal 

 ditches. They must not be chased on any account, or they will bury 

 themselves in the mud; occasionally many thousands will do so within 

 a few moments, and will remain there, pressed together closely, and 

 so perish through suttbcation. This is recorded as having occurred from 

 time to time, when during the process of driving them, into the ditches 

 the fishes were startled by some unknown cause and all sank into the 

 mud instantaneously. Through the impossibility of extricating them 

 speedily enough, many hundreds and even thousands perished, the 

 owner sustaining heavy losses in consequence. To guard against such 

 an emergency, preparations should be made for an immediate supply 

 of water in similar cases, in order to save the fishes. If the fishing-out 

 progresses in the regular manner, the fishes will by degrees draw off 

 from the ditches into the collector. The collecting takes from five to 

 six days in large ponds, containing frequently 100-400 tons of fishes. 

 Care should be taken, that crowding them together may be avoided. 

 On the evening before the fishing-out, when the water of the pond has 

 been diminished to the depth of half afoot, those fishes which Lave been 

 collected are shut off from the pond by a large net, and in the early 

 morning, at the dawn of day, they are caught. As so large a number 



