714 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH ANt) FISHERIES. [56] 



270. Statement of J . U'.ShemweU, rriiice Frederick, Calvert Co., Md., Amj. 9, 18^:5. 



Disposition of carp received. — In March, 1881, I received 50 carp. I \n\i tlieui 

 in an ice pond covering abont 450 square yards, with an average deptli of 2J feet, 

 with a maximum deptli of 5 feet. Its bottom is composed of soft mud. One mediuui- 

 sized spring supplies the pond. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains swamp-collard (a kind of cabbage) and other 

 water-grasses. It also contains minnows, frogs in abundance, and eels. 



Food. — I give the carp corn-meal dough and ali kinds of vegetables. I feed them 

 irregularly ; usually once or twice a week. 



Growth. — They were 12 inches long last October. The 2 that I now have are, I 

 suppose, about 15 inches in lengtli. 



Reproduction. — There musl have been several thousand small carp hatched in the 

 spring of 1882. I caught one before the pond broke in the fall which was about 4 

 inches long. 



Difficulties. — In Octolter, 1882, we had the greatest fall of rain which has occurred 

 in this section of the country for numy years. It swept the banks of earth away at 

 the deepest part of the pond and carried every fish in it into the Chesapeake Bay. I 

 caught two of the large (ish down the branch with a hand net. They were then 12 

 inches loug. After I had had the ])ond rej)aired, I jiut them back in it, but have seen 

 no young ones since. 



271. Statement of James E. Hignutt, Denton, Caroline Co., Md., July 27,1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — May, 1881, I received 10 scale carp, and in De- 

 cember, 1881, 40 leather carp. November, 1882, I received 20 scale carp, and in March, 

 1883, .40 more. I kept theui in a pond of li acres. Most of the bottom is nnuidy. 

 There is not a large tiow of water, as I have turned the larger part of the surface 

 water down th(^ sides of the pond. 



Plants .VND exi;mii".s. — The pond contains rushes and long marsh-grasses. There 

 nnxy be a few small i)ike and turtles in it, but not many. 



Food. — I feed the carp on breatl and cabbage, about twice a week. 



Growth. — The 40 scale carp that I received March, 1883, are now from 4 to 7 inches 

 long, and will weigh from 7 to 12 ounces. 



Difficulties. — All of the three previous lots were lost by the breaking of the dam. 

 I am satished that the dam should be made a year before the lish are planted. 



272. Statement of J. W. Kerr, Denton, Caroline Co., Md., July 27, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — About 2 years ago I received 40 carp. I kept 

 them in a pond covering i of an acre, with a muddy bottom, but lost them, within a 

 short time after putting them in, by a heavy fre.shet, which broke the dam, and car- 

 ried them all into the Choptank River. There is usually a very light How of water. 

 After lu'avy rains there is too much. The water is (jnite warm in sunnmu". 



I'LANTS and enemies. — There are few plants in the pond except green frog-moss. 

 It contains bull-frogs and some little minnows. 



273. State)iient of I. E. M. Xash, Fowlituj Creek, Caroline Co.,Md., Jjtril 2o, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— I received 20 carp December 18, 1882. The ice 

 was fully i of an inch thick in the kettle when I arrived home. It was broken up, 

 and the fish ap})eared sore from their ride over the frozen ground. I cut through pon<l 

 ice an inch in thickness and deposited the car]) in the pond. 



l'\)Oi). — 1 have given the carp scalded meal once a week, but did not see the fish 

 until aViout a week ago. 



Growth. — This week I have seen as many as 7 or 8 at one time and found them to 

 be as large again as when I placed them in the pond. 



274. Statement of Eichard If. Comegys, Greenshorough, Caroline Co., Md., July 27, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 52 carp in November, 1879, and 40 lit- 

 tle ones in A])ril last. ;My pond covers about ^n acre and a good constant stream of , 

 water flows through it. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains wild oats, flag, and water-grass ; there are frogs 

 in it, but liO other lish nor turtles. 



Food. — I feed the cari> occasionally on bread and vegetables. 



Ghowth. — My dam was washed out during the last season (1882) and I lost all I 

 then had. At the time of losing them I measured one of the old stock that was 18 

 iu(;hes in length and 5 inches broad. The young were about 6 inches long. 



