[53] CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 7 1 1 



256. SlatcmetU of Michael JFiUax, lialtimovc, JUiUimorc Co., Md., Auij. lU, I'ti^W. 



Disposition OF carp i:i:ckivkd.— I first received carp some :{ years ago- they 

 were 40 in number. Subse(inentl5' I receiverl 12.^. The jioud iu which I have ken't 

 them is ^ of an aero in size and from 4 to 8 feet deep. The upper part is handy, the 

 lower part muddy. I could not exactly state how mucli water llows throu"li'i't as 

 it is fed by 3 or 4 springs. The water is not very cold. 



Plants and ene.mies. — It contains any ([uantity of grasses and plants. There are 

 also very nice shade trees about its upper portion. I have seen eels and green frogs 

 in tlie ]iond. 



Food. — I give the carp bread, corn-meal cakes, wheat, and rye. I feed them about 

 twice a week. 



(;u()WTii.— There are 38 left out of the first lot that I received. I could not state 

 as to the otiiers, as I have not drained the pond. They weigh fi-om 5 to 8 pounds, 

 and from H to 3 pounds. 



KiCPKODUCTiON. — They hava produced thousands of young; the pond was literally 

 lined with them last year. The young ones weigh from ^ pound to lA pounds. Tliero 

 are also smaller ones and young si)awn in the jiond. 



257. Statement of II. H. Woolen, Brooklandville, Baltimore Co., Md., July 2'.i, 1883. 



Disposition op carp received. — About 2 years ago I received 12 carp ami put 

 tiiem in a pond covering i of an acre. About 2 days afterward a heavy rain washed 

 both pond and carp away. 



258. Statement of E. A. Welch, Catonsville, Baltimore Co., ^fd., July 25, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received about 50 carp in Ai>ril, I think, 1881. 

 I have kept them in a small pond 20 yards square, with a sandy bottom, and oidy 

 about 3 feet deep. A very small branch flows through it, which is dry usually from 

 August to October. 



Plants. — There are cat-tails, smart- weed, &c., in the pond. I intend to sow water- 

 cress. • 



Enemies. — It contains no lisli, but it contains bull-frogs, brauch-ft'ogs, and an oc- 

 casional snapping-turtle. I have not fed the carp. 



Gkowth. — I have about a dozen of the original lot left. They are about 14 inches 

 long. 



Reproduction. — I have only found 20 or 30 young ones in all ; but the pond has 

 ■washed away twice. Those which 1 have found are about as large as my hand. 



DiFFiCL'LTiES. — My only difficulty has been the smaliness of the pond, which I hope 

 to remedy. 



259. Statement of M. Gillet Gill, Florence, Baltimore Co., Md., July 21, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — In 1880 I received 20 carji. I put them in a 

 pond, with a muddy bottom, 20 feet square. The pond has an inflow of half a gallon 

 per minute, and contains ordinary vegetation, but no other lish, frogs, or turtles. 



Food. — I fed them with corn and occasional refuse from the table. 



Difficulties. — They were washed out by a flood. When I have a more suitable 

 place I Avill try it again. 



260. Statement of Charles J. Riddle, Forks, Baltimore Co., Md., July 27, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— November, 1879, I received 20 carp, and have 

 since obtained 40 more. I have kept them in an ice pond from 2 to 4 teet deep, with 

 a muddv bottom. A small stream of spring water llows through it, which is clear 

 and good, except when it rains ; then it overflows and muddies the pond. 



Plants.— There are no plants nor grasses in the pond, and the stock cats tne 

 grass on the banks, so we have to feed the fish. I obtained some water-grass and 

 planted it, but it did not live. ■ _ , , ., , ^^ __^^^^ 



Enemies.— The pond had bull-frogs and turtles in it. We shot the latter, as we ^^ ere 

 afraid thev would eat the fish. The frogs are still then^ 



Food.— We feed the carp irregularly with bread, corn, and sometimes ca I. tjage. ^ 



C;rowtii.— I have no old ones left. We ate them last spring, as we thouglit turn 

 were enough young ones to do well. They were then nearly 2 pounds in weignt. 

 What we have' did not seem to grow last year as they did at first. 



h'EPRODUCTiON.- There are a goodly number of young ones of various fi'z«-s. 



MLscELLANEOUS.-My principal dilHculty has been that they •'/*: \\-"i 5 '- b-m.l- 

 We have to let the water out of the pond, and go in the mud and cat.h them >> lianu , 

 as thev do not bite the hook. We tried to catch them with a seme but lailea. 



