[Gl] CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. Till 



2'J2. Statement of Edwin H. Reynolds, Rising Sun, Cecil Co., Md., Aug. 4, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— I received 150 carp in April, 1880. I have kept 

 tbeiu in ii poud covering a i of au acre. Tbe average depth of half the poud in 4 feet • 

 of tlie l>alance, 18 inches. Its bottom is composed of heavy yellow clay, containing 

 some iron ; there is bnt little alluvial soil. The pond is fed i)y a spring, iiW vards dis- 

 tant, at tlie rate of 200 gallons per hour. The temperature of the water, at the surface, 

 Las been as high as 80^. 



Plants. — It does not contain as many plants as I desire. I hav(^ transplanted inio 

 it the eonnnon lily, but this grows slowly. 



Enkmiks. — There are no other lish in it, but many frogs. Turtles are scarce, as the 

 life of one of them is at stake when its presence is known. 



Food. — I have been feeding them daily, since April, with a peck of dough composed 

 of two i)arts of corn meal and one part of wheat middlings stirred up in sour milk. 

 The young now eat from my baud. 



Growth. — I had 33 of the original lot this spring. In the first week of April they 

 were from 16 to 18^ inches long, and weighed from 1| to 2i pounds. This year's 

 spawning are from 4 inch to 3 inches in length. I regret to say that the pond, to my 

 certain knowledge, has been netted twice by poachers^ but I do not think that tliis can 

 very well hap|)en hereafter. 



l\Ki"i;< >i)UCTioN. — It is impossible to state ho%v many young have been produced. A 

 net 1 yard square can now dip up from 50 to 80, from i inch to 3 inches long, at any 

 jioint ar(mnd the pond. 



Disposition of young. — I have placed 2,000 in Stone Run, distributed 250 iu lots 

 of from 20 to 40 free ; and sold 380 at $5 per hundred. • 



DiFKictii/riES. — The most serious difficulty has been the depredations of the night- 

 lishers and the turtles. So fiir, justice has been dealt to tbe former, and death to the 

 latter, when they have been found out. 



MisCKLLANEOCS. — The introduction of carji fills a blank long felt in agricultural 

 pursuits. I am fully convinced that their culture is not a mere fancy to \u-. indulged 

 in by the wealthy, but is within the reach of thousands of land-owners, innuniy places, 

 who have land unlit for agricultural jmrposes, bnt which could, with little expense, tie 

 made to return a prolit treble what could bo made from grain or hay, by devoting it to 

 the growth of carp. Ouficau transform a bog-min^ into a pond teeming with this viil- 

 nable food-lish. 1 would not give ii]) the product of the ([uailcr-acrc jiond for that from 

 any 2 acres of my farm, and 1 do raise 2^ tons of hay, 30 bushels of wheat, and Go bush- 

 els of corn to the acre. 



293. Statement of S. L. Webster , East Neiv Market, Dorchester Co., Md., Aug. 29, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — In the sjiring of 18bl I received about 30 car]) :? 

 inches long. I have kept them in a iiond about 1(H) yards h)ng, IVoin :iO to 40 yards 

 wide, and from 2 to 4 feet deep, with a muddy bottom. About tJO gallons of spring 

 water per hour How through th(r jiond, ordinarily. 



Plants. — It has rushes and other grasses such as are comnujii on low lands. 



Enemies. — There are catfish, sun-perch, and mullet, iu it ; also spring-frogs and com- 

 mon turtle. • , 



Food. — At first we fed the carp on different kinds of bread, and refuse from the 

 kitchen, but we have not jtaid much attention to them of late. 



Growth. — I caught one this spring about 10 inches long. I suppose it would 

 weigh 14 pounds. I put it back in the pond, and have not seen it since. Until this 

 one was canght, this spring, I had concluded that they had all gotten out duriig 

 heavy rains when the water was running in a thick stream over tlio dam. 



Reproduction. — There are plenty of young fish in the pond. I do not know 

 whether they are carp or not. 



DiFFicL'LTiES. — The ])rincipal dilliculty is that they keep near the bottom and stir 

 up (he water so that we do not see them often. 



204. Statement of R. R. Bnchcy, Johiisrillc, Freda-ick Co., Md., July '17. U'-s:!. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 40 in 1880, and 100 in December, 1— <l. 

 I have kept them in a pond covering Jof au acre, 4 feet deep, and having a soft, muddy 

 bottom. The water is very cold and is sup]tlied by 2 large s))iings. 



Plants and enemies.— The bottom is clean ; grass grows only along the banks. 

 There are no frogs nor turtles iu the pond ; and no other fish except suckers. My 

 most serious diflicnlty has been the destroying of the carp by geese. 



Food. — I give the car)) boiled corn and potatoes, twice a week. 



Growth and reproduction. — 1 am not able to say how many are left nor how 

 many young they have produced. They are about 18 inches in jeugtli now, auU i) 

 pouiids iu weight, I am well pleased with the Genuau carp, 



