762 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [104] 



466. Statement of John Dietrich, Plainfield, Union Co., JV. J., Jul}/ 27, 1883. 



DiSPOSiTiox OF CARP RECEIVKD.— Ill October, 1880, I received 20 carp, and in 

 June, 1881, I received 20 more. The pond in which I have kept them is irregular in 

 shape, its 4 sides being respectively 40, 23, 33 and 10 feet. Its average depth is 2^ feet 

 and its greatest depth :i^ feet. The bottom is mostly of mud, but is composed of gravel 

 at the sides. There are 3 springs in the bottom, and water liows in througla one 

 3-inch pipe at the surface, and out through a 4-inch pipe, keeping the surface pure. 

 The temperature of the water is from 70° to 76° Fahr. I think it a mistake to keep the 

 water above 76° at any time for health of lish. 



Plants. — The pond contains waier-lily and other aquatic plants ; also moss from 

 Rahway River. It has a grass border. 



Enemies. — I think I have banished all pestiferous turtles and snakes. I think the 

 last snake went this morning. 



Food. — I have only given the carp wheat bread and corn bread, and at no stated 

 period ; usually at evening time, about sunset. I love to sit on some stone steps at 

 the margin of the pond and call upthetish with some nice wheat-bread. They come 

 close to my feet and take their morsel with a relish always. 



Growth. — I think that there are 3 old ones left. They weigh from 3 to 4^ pounds. 



Reproduction. — They have produced thousands of young, but their enemies, which 

 I have been lighting, have kept them thinned down. The young measure from 6 to 10 

 inches in length. 



Difficui/ites. — One year ago, in August, 1882, we were visited by an unprecedented 

 storm or cyclone, which deluged our city and the surrounding country. Bridges, and 

 icnces, ponds, tish, and all went, but the fisli loved their home and remained in the 

 stream outside of my rebuilt pond. Fifty or more were caught and eaten, and I bought 

 4, and caught 4 of the origiual ones. 



467. Statement of C. R. Maltby, Plainfield, Union Co., N. J., May 3, 1884. 



Dispcsition of carp received. — I received 40 carp February 8, 1880. I put them 

 in a pond containing about | of an acre, which is from 1 to ',ii feet deep, and has a 

 bottom composed of sand and muck. Forty inches of water How into it from springs 

 within i mile. I have put screens at the places where the water entei*!s and leaves 

 the pond, to prevent the lish from escaping. 



Plants. — Tliere is eel-grass growing in the pond. 



Enemies. — It also contains cattish, eels, frogs, sun-lish, a few pike, and a few turtles, 

 but uo snapping- turtles. 



Food. — I do not give them any food. Every shower and heavy rain washes the 

 streets of the city and the water llows through the pond. 



Growth. — I do not know how many of the carp are left. They weighed 2f pounds 

 February, 1882, and from 4 to 5 ])ounds September 6, 1883. 



Reproduction. — I have just found in the pond a good many young about 6 inches 

 long. 



468. Statement of Percy C. Ohl, fish warden, PlainfieM, Union Co., J^\ J., Jnlij2^i, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 25 carp in the winter of 1880. I put 

 them into a spring-water lake about 3 acres in extent, with a muddy bottom, gravelly 

 slopes, and grassy banks. Its greatest deptli is 6 feet, and its least 2 feet, the average 

 being 4 feet. About ij,000 gallons of water pass through it every 24 hours. The aver- 

 age tem])erature for the summer mouths is 66°. 



Plants. — The pond is clear of all grasses or plants, except roots from the banks. 



Ene.mies. — Ther(j are suckers, eels catfish, black bass, minnows, fresh-water ter- 

 rapins, snaj)ping-turtles, &.C., in it. 



Food and growth.— I never feed the carp. In the spring of 1882, 20 could be 

 counted. I only have 2 or 3 left now, which are about 24 inches long and weigh, I 

 should .say, 7 pounds. 



Edujle qualities. — A leather carp recently caught in this vicinity, weighing over 

 6J pounds, was one of the most toothsome iish I ever tasted. 



Difficulties. — These few carp were planted in my pond in midwinter, it being 

 necessary to cut through a foot of ice to deposit them. The pond then contained 

 quite a number of black bass, and I expected that the carp would be devoured in the 

 spring, or whenever the bass came out again. 1 was pleased, however, to notice in 

 the following year muirly all the carp, which had grown to be about 6 inches in length. 

 They continued to gi'ow until they were immense, but the freshet of last September 

 made nearly a clean sweep of everything. I have not seen any lish in the pond 

 since, but hear that several very large fish are there. 



