[37] 



CAEP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. f^95 



Mr. Davis, of California, writes on iioml culture, as follows: 



"The pond should have plenty of water-cress, lily, and grass, or some aciuatic ve"-e- 

 tation in it, for several reasons. First, it gives shelter to the tish; second, there is a 

 vast quantity of food derived from it and its accumulation; tiiird, it is indispensable 

 for on it the tish deposit their spawn. The eggs are adhesive and stick or adhere to 

 the sprigs or branches, and without this the e^gs would fall to the bottom in the mud 

 and be lost. A pond should bo protected, and to do this it should have a good canal 

 or ditch dug around it to carry all the surplus water away and not allow any ovcrtiow. 

 This all done, wo have a pond ready for the water, which may be warm or cold, fresli 

 or salt; for the history of these fishes proves that they will adapt themselves' to all 

 waters. The warmer the water the better, even up to 100'^, and the faster will be the 

 growth of your fish. The water should be kept at or near a uuiform depth. The 

 llow of water is inuuaterial, so that there is plenty of life in it." 



163. Statement of William A. Schofield, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Ind., Oct. 1, 1883. 



Disposition of cakp received.— I received 19 carp, only 9 of which were alive. 

 About March 1, 1883, I cut the ice on the pond and placed the carp therein. I saw 

 no signs of them to May 28, 1883, though I was informed by two of my hands that they 

 saw one on two difterent occasions. The maximum depth of the water is 6 feet. 



Enemies. — My pond appears to be alive with bull-frogs and tadpoles. It also con- 

 tains two mud turtles, which with the frogs and tadi)olo's I fear will destroy the carp. 



Growth. — The 9 carp received in good condition last spring have growu finely. 



164. Statement of William Zook, Denver, Miami Co., Ind., Nov. 3, 1883. 



Growth. — I drained my pond this fall, and found 7 of the carp which you sent me 

 2 years ago, which are now from 16 to 17 inches in length. What becaiue of the rest 

 I do not know, unless the kingfishers speared them. 



165. Statement of Calvin Fletcher, Spencer, Owen Co., Ind., July 25, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— In November, 1879, I put 15 carp in a pond 33 

 by 80 feet and from 4 to 6 feet in depth. The bottom is composed of sand and mud, 

 with some clay. About 600 gallons of water flow through it per hour. The summer 

 temperature is 60° at the inlet and 80° at the outlet. In 1881 it reached 90°; in 

 1882, 75°. 



Plants. — The pond contains horse-mint, white lily, and coarse border grass, hybis- 

 cus, cat-tails, and bulrush. 



Enemies. — A few frogs will slip in. The suu-fish have escaped all our eftbrts at 

 extermination. 



Food. — From July to the Ist of October I give them boiled potatoes mashed, with 

 one-eighth part of shorts or flour. I also feed stale bread and scraps in general. 



Growth. — There are 4 left, which weigh from 10 to 12 pounds each. December 26, 

 1880, I estimated the weight of my 5 carp remaining at 2^ ])ouuds, and the same 

 5, April 8, 1882, then fully 2 years old, weighed, respectively, 6^, 8, 8, 8i, and 8J 

 pounds. They made their greatest growth the second year. They have produced uo 

 young, as all were females. 



166. Statement of Thomas M. Browne, Winchester, Randolph Co., Ind., Sept. 25, 1882. 



Growth. — The carp sent into this district are doing splendidly. Their growth 

 astonishes everbody. 



167. Statement of John W. Nighbert, Elrod, Ripley Co., Ind., Sept. 25, 1882. 



Growth. — I received some young carp November 28, 1881, which are doing finely. 

 There are plenty of them 1 foot long, and I think they will weigh 1 pound each. 



168. Statement of John Fisher, Liberty Mills, Wabash Co., Ind., July 25, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 15 carp in the fall of 1879. The pond 

 dried up and the fish all froze to death. In 1881 I received 30 more and put them 

 in a pond containing 1| acres, fed by springs Avith water from 1 to 7 feet in depth. 

 The bottom is muck and gravel. 



Plants and enemies.— The pond contains moss, wild rye, and wild grass, and 

 also minnows and frogs. 



Food. — I give them bread and nnground wheat 2 or 3 times a week. 



Growth.— I still have 29 of the 1881 lot which will average from 3 to 4 pounds. 



