XXXIII.-SOME RESULTS OF CARP CULTURE IN THE UNITED 



STATES. 



By Chas. W. Smiley. 



A report of the distribution of carp, made by the United States Fish 

 Commission, from the young reared in 1S79 and 1880, has already been 

 published in the report of 1882, page 943. In order to ascertain what 

 success these persons had had, a circular was prepared and sent out in 

 July, 1883, to over two thousand addresses named in that report. The 

 circular was accompanied by a blank form containing 15 questions, as 

 follows : 



1. When did you first receive carp, and how many? 



2. Have you received any since? 



3. What have you kept them in? If a pond, state its size and depth, 

 and the nature of its bottom. 



4. How much water usually' flows through it, and how cold is if? 



5. What water-plants or grasses does it contain! 



0. What other fish, frogs, turtles, &c., does it contain ! 



7. What food do you give the carp? How often? 



8. How many carp have you of the original lot ? 



9. How many young have they produced ? 



10. What is the present size or weight of the old ones? 



11. What is the size or weight of the young ones ? 



12. What disposition have you made of any of the young ? 



13. Have you eaten any carp ? How were thej'^ cooked, and what 

 was the opinion of their edible qualities? 



14. Have the carp been troubled by any disease or fatality I 



15. What has been your most serious difficulty in their care ? 



From the replies received to this circular and from the correspond- 

 ence of the Commission the 1,036 statements which follow have been 

 compiled. These are classified geographically as follows: 



Statements. 



Kew England States 40 



Middle States 17G 



Southeastern States ^^4 



Southwestern States 249 



JSTorthwestern States . 1^^ 



Pacific Slope and Great Plains ^^ 



Total 1, ^30 



[1] ^^^ 



H. Mis. G8 42 



