[93] CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES, 751 



420. Statement of I. A. Bell, Racine, Nemioyi Co., Mo., Aug. 2d, 188;;. 



Disposition of carp kkckivkd.— I recoivcd 8 carp two years ago, but lost tliom in 

 a freshet. 



427. Statement of C. C. Jackson, Ilughesvllle, Fettis Co., Mo., Apr. 30 1882. 



GuowTii.— I put 2 carp, each 3^ inches lonn; and exceedingly slim, in my i»ond last 

 season. One caught in a seine last Saturday proved to be 'io inches long from the 

 tip of its tail to the end of its nose, and 24 inches long taking in tlie curv.-Uure of its 

 back. Its thickness from the middle of the l)ack to the middle of the belly Kvnali 

 inches. Its width straight through the thickest part of the body was 4 inches ; its 

 weight, 4 ,V pounds ; and the scales on k were as largo as a 5-cent piece. The growth 

 of this carp is truly wondertul. The time is near at hand when everybody will have 

 a carp pond the same as they do a cow and hog jien. 



428. Steatmcnt of Oscar lieid, Ferguson, Saint Louis Co., Mo., Aug. 3, 1883. 



Disposition of cakp received.— About 3 years ago I received 16 carp, and since 

 then I have received from Saint Louis Iti more. The pond in which 1 have kejit 

 them is ISO feet long and 80 fvet wide, and has an average depth of 4 feet. The 

 water rises from the bottom, which is muddy. 



Plants. — Water-lilies grow in it. 



Enemies. — The pond also contains sun-fish, crappies, and turtles. 



Fooi> AND GROWTH. — I do not fed the carp, and do not know how many there are 

 left. They weigh about 10 pounds on the scales. 



Reproduction. — I do not know that there are any young, but think there may be 

 some. 



Difficulties. — I have had no difficulty in their care. My only trouble is to catch 

 them. 



429. Statement of George W. Campbell, 108 Locust street, Sahtt Louis, Mo., Nov. 18, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — In November, 1879, I received 20 scale carp not 

 over 1 inch in length, which I placed in my i)ond. This is in size about 50 by 150 

 feet,-has a muddy bottom, and slopes gradually from one end to a depth of about (5 

 feet at the other. No water flows out of it except once or twice a year (hiring very 

 heavy rains ; then I let it out gradually through an 8-inch pipe, so that the water is 

 usually about the same depth. 



Plants and enemies. — There are no enemies except a few catfish and sun-fish. It 

 contains no ])lants nor grasses, but is sodded with grass all around the banks. 



Food. — During the 4 years they have had no care excejit that i)erhaps 3 or 4 times 

 during each summer's drought I fed them with corn-meal mixed with water and 

 made stiff. 



Growth.— To-day I secured 4 men, who made a haul with a seine and landed 7 

 carp, () of which averaged about 3 pounds, and the seventh one weighed, I guess, 

 1 pound. The latter was evidently not over a year old. The others have had but 3 

 summers' growth, and have made an increase in weight of exactly 1 pound each every 

 season, which, when we consider that they have had no care, may be regarded good, 

 and proves them to be a very profitable species for jiropagation. 



Reproduction. — I do not- know how many young they have produced, but they 

 seem to have done well. I have seen no young over 3 inches long. I think they 

 did not do well the first year, as there was no brush in the water to protect them.^ 



Edible qualities.— Three families, including my own, have to-day, for the first 

 time, tested carp upon the table. None of us claim to be epicures, but we have often 

 tested the qualities of our black bass, crapi)io, channel cat, and the buffalo of the 

 Mississippi, and, in our Judgment, the carp compare favorably only with the latter; 

 perhaps we may say, only with the 2 last named. 



Difficulties. — I have had no difficulties, unless it has been that the catfish have 

 fed to some extent upon the young. 



430. Statement of George Echardt, Saint Louis, Saint Louis Co., Mo., Bee. 8, 1882. 



Growth.— I have carp 6 months old, from 4 to 14^ inches long, and in very fine 

 condition. 



431. Statement of Dr. I. G. W. Steedman, Saint Louis, Saint Louis Co., Mo., Nov. 27, 1882. 



Reproduction.— On draining our ponds in Forest Park, to our great surprise, wo 

 have found a bountiful supply of young carp. I suppose we have 20,000, at a rough 

 estimate. They are beautiful specimens, averaging from 4 to 6 inches m length, in 



