[23] 



CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. (J8l 



Enemies.— The bass, blue cats, perch, frogs, turtles, and snakes, which lomierlv in- 

 lesti'd it have nearly all been expelled by persistent etl'orts. 



Growth and kkproduction.— My carp, of which I have -25 left, now weigh from 

 7 to 12 pounds, but have produced no young. Walton says, in his Couiplete'Angler 

 page 151 : "There is not a reason ibuud out, I think, by a'liy, wliy earj* siiould li"i-eed 

 in some ponds and not in others of the same nature ibr soil and all <jlher circum- 

 stances." I developed a small pond above mine this spring and i)nt .'> spawners in it 

 but there was no increase. There were no hsh in this pond except the f-pawners. One 

 pair of spawners ])laced in a small pond in the Federal cemetery, which dries up in 

 August, were fruitful. I shall i)Ut 300 fish annually from The spawning pond into niv 

 lake, and think it better than to have them spawn in the latter. 



E.'^RLY INTRODUCTION OF CARP. — In 1831, Henry Robinson, of Newburg, Orange 

 County, New York, imported carp from France, which he said in 1831 did pretty well 

 in his ponds. 



95. StaU-ment of Eev. Isaac N. Moon, Powder Spi-ings, Cobb Co., Ga.,Aug. 2, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— I received 8 in December, 1880, and 20 in Decem- 

 ber, 1881. I have kept them in a pond 40 feet wide, 80 I'eet long, and 4 feet deep, with 

 a bottom of bladv nnul. It is supplied by a weak spring. In spring and summer the 

 water is warm with a scum on top. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains willow-grass, water-lilies, Ac, &c. ; also a few 

 small perch. I keep the frogs and turtles killed out. 



Food. — I feed the carp on cabbage leaves, lettuce, and bread, about twice a week. 



Growth and reproduction. — I saw two about a year ago. I sup))ose they are 

 about 20 inches in length and would weigh about 3 or '.i^ pounds. I have seen no 

 young yet, and do not know whether there are any or not. 



Difficulties. — I am of the opinion that my pond is too small and shallow. I am 

 building another and would like to get some of the leather carp. 



96. Statement of M. W.Stinson, EveretVs Station, Crawford Co., (hi , Oct. 12, 1882. 



GitoWTH. — I have a pond near my house that was stocked with a few carp last win- 

 tei'. They have grown to be tine fellows. 



97. Statement of J . R. Cravena, Wildwood, Dade Co., Ga., Mar. 30, 1884. 



Growth. — Carp minnows received in 1881 attained a weight of from 2 to 3 i)ound8 

 in November, 1882. 



Reproduction. — In the fall of 1881 1 received 20 small German carp, which si)a wued 

 last spring. I now have from 7,000 to 8,000 y<'arling8 which are doing well. 



Miscellaneous. — I am now making a i)ond, below mj' carp pond, which I wish to 

 stock with California trout. I expect to feed the troui". on the surplus carp minnows 

 escaping from the carp pond above. 



98. Statement of William E. Smith, Albany, Dougherty Co., Ga., July 25, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— I received carp some time in the fall of 1879 and 

 distributed them among ]>lanters in Dougherty and Baker Counties. Some of the 

 ponds in which they were put are supi)lied by rains and from surrounding hills; but 

 few are supplied with running water. They have muddy or sandy bottoms. 



Plants. — The principal plants growing in these ponds are "bonnets," water-lilies, 

 and maiden cane. 



Enemies. — Although the fresh-water ponds of this section are otherwise singularly 

 adapted to carp, the game fish — trout and perch — with which our waters are tilled, 

 destroy them. The ponds are invaded by trout, suckers, bream, several kinds of 

 perch, spring frogs, and turtles. 



Growth and reproduction. — There are about (iO of the original lot left. One, 

 when about 11 months old, weighed nearly 4 ])onnds and was 20 inches long. I am 

 unable to tell how many young they have ])roduccd. 



99. Statement of W. R. Carpenter, Concordia, Elbert Co., Ga., Mar. 27, 1880. 



Carp in S.wannah River.— There have been several carp cought in Savannah 

 River that weighed from (> to 8 pounds. None that havi^ liecn taken from the ponds 

 will weigh more than from 4 to 5 pounds. The ponds have all been stuiked within th«i 

 last 2 years. Those that are in the river made their escape during hi.gh water and 

 the bursting of the ponds. 



