6G8 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [10] 



Growth. — The original fisli weigli 8 or 9 ijounds. The first youug are 5 or 6 inches 

 long, and the last are H inches long. 



Reproduction. — It is hard to say how many young they have produced. The 

 water is full of fish. There are four broods. 



41. Statement of John Sheldon, Fort Collins, Larimer Co., Colo., July 27, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — Two years ago last winter, I think, I received 

 15 very small ones from the fish commissioner at Denver. One year ago last w'inter 

 I received 20 from you. I cut a hole through the ice of my lake and put them in, and 

 have never seen one since. The lake covers about 15 acres, and is about 10 feet deep. 

 The bottom is a dry loam, a good wheat soil, but still it will bear up a horse well, 

 even when covered with water. Water is let in from an irrigating ditch which is 

 12 or 14 feet wide on the bottom, and from 2^ to 3 feet deep. There is no outlet that 

 I now use, but I could have one if I desired. 



Plants and food. — The iirincipal plant is a kind of "sea-weed" that looks some 

 like clover in its leaves. It grows nearly all over the lake and up to the surface, 

 even in 10 feet of water. On this the fish principally feed and keep very fat. 



Enemies. — There are in the lake sunfish, called by some rock buss, which are sweet 

 and solid all sununer and bite a hook quickly; small cat-fish, red horse, shiners, and 

 the finest suckers I ever saw, some weighing over 4 pouuds. 



Difficulties. — I do not know what to expect. I am catchiug out sunfish almost 

 daily, and have caught several barrels of suckers that run up the ditch to the head 

 gate, but have seen no carp. I fear the sunfish have eaten up all the little fellows, 

 and I should much like to have 25 carp about 6 inches long, that the other ti.^h could 

 not master. The former ones may be in the lake, but I suppose I would hook them 

 out occasionally if they were. 



42. Statement of B. H. Eaton, Greeley, Weld Co., Colo., July 30, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — Over two years ago I received some carp and 

 put them in a canal. The water was so strongly alkaline that they all died. If I can 

 secure carp again I will put them into a lake that has had water in it for years, and 

 now contains sun-lish and small catfish. 



CONi^ECTICUT. 



43. Statement of Amos Stone, Banbury, Fairfield Co., Conn., July 24^ 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received carp in 1881 and put them in a nice 

 spring-water pond with an average depth of 3 feet. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains water-grasses and other water plants, and also 

 trout, pike, bass, perch, and bull-heads. 



iliscELLANKOUS. — I kuow uothiug Concerning the old or young, but think they 

 will do well here. I do not feed them. 



44. Statement of Edmund 0. Hurlbutt, Georgetown, Fairfield Co., Conn., Sept. 6, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 20 carp in January, 1881, and put them 

 in a pond situated on a high hill. It covers 3 acres and is fed by springs ; has a depth 

 of from 4 to 5 feet, and is surrounded by ledge and woods. 



Pl.\nts and enemies. — There are no fish of any kind in the pond, perhaps a bull- 

 frog or so, but no turtles. There are also swamp grass and some weeds in the pond. 



Food. — I feed them with corn and bread. 



Miscellaneous. — During my absence in the West last April the pond overflowed 

 and the fish are probably lost. I am fitting it up again and would like another supply 



45. Statement of Samuel J. Miller, Ccorgelown, Fairfield Co., Conn., July 21, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 20 carp about December, 1880, and 

 placed them in a small i>ond. A freshet overflowed the following spring and the carp 

 probably went out, as they have not been seen since. They may still be in the river. 



Growth. — Mr. Gilbert received 200 carp about the same time. I have heard of 

 3 of them being caught by hook this spring. They weighed from 4 to 5 pounds each. 



46. Statement of G. T. Osborn, Georgetown, Fairfield Co., Conn., July 26, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — About January, 1881, I received some carp an<l 

 put them in a spring, 3 by 8 feet. Last summer I built a pond covering a quarter of 



