7N > REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [122] 



Difficulties. — By commifctiug the serious blnuder of building cheap flams, the 

 heavy freshets of 18d2 swept my dams away, leaving me only a dozen or more of my 

 carp. The 3 ponds which I subsequently built have been constructed on an improved 

 plan. 



Fungus. — I have been troubled but little with fungus. This is a moldy growth on 

 the carp's back, caused by impure water, sometimes by wounds, often from a weak 

 condition of the fish. There is no cure for it. Whenever it appears, the only thing 

 to be done is to dniiu the ponds, kill all the diseased tish, and commence anew. 



Miscellaneous. — Whenever I ascertain that the carp are spawning, I examine 

 the brush and twigs carefully, and transfer the branches covered with the eggs to 

 the hatching pond, in which no lisli are kept. Hei-e they are placed in shallow water 

 aud carefully protected from frogs, turtles, &c., until hatched, when they are reg- 

 ularly fed with small particles of bread or cracker crumbs saturated in sweet milk. 

 A trunk wliich extends through the dam is a pass-way for the small fry in the hatch- 

 ing to the nursery pond. The mouth of this trunk in the hatching pond is screened 

 with galvanized wire mesh, large enough to admit of the passage of the little fry into 

 the nursery, but too small to permit ingress to larger fish. In the nursery jxtud the 

 hatch of this year will be allowed to remain until November, when the pond will be 

 drawn, aud the fry, then lively little fingerliugs able to care for themselves, transferred 

 to stock pond. This transfer is made by jilaciugthe young carp in 40-gallon barrels, 

 and hauling them to the .stock pond, where they have an unlimited pasture of about 

 7.5 acres in which to roam, aud an inexhaustible supply of vegetable and insect life to 

 fatten on. At a cost of .'ii!2,000, I have a most complete set of ponds, which, when the 

 water is flush, cover 50 acres. I have three ponds — a nursery |)ond covering 2f acres 

 and a stock pond covering 45 acres, in addition to the spawning pond. All of these 

 ahound in aquatic jilants. 



.548. Siafemeni of P. C. Carlton, States liU e, Tredcll Co.,X. C.,July 30, 1883. 



Disposition of carp keceived. — I received 20 carp in Decembei-, I88(t, and some 

 subsequently. My pond contains 1 acre, and has an average depth of 1^ feet, with 

 ai bottom of alluvial soil. There is a flow of Ih inches of spring water into it. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains ])ond-lilies, wild rye, «Jcc.,and also a few frogs 

 and turtles which I am trying to exterminate. Frogs, turtles, cranes, aud nmsk-rats 

 cat the spawn of carp. 



Food. — 1 feed the carp with soft corn and mush twice weekly, sometimes 3 times. 



Growth. — There are 12 or 15 of the original lot left. They weigh from 5 to 7 

 l>ounds. 



Reproduction. — They have j>roduced a large number of young, which arc from 2 

 to 12 inches long. 



Miscellaneous. — I consider, the carp the best fish ever introduced into Southern 

 waters. 



.549. Slatemeul of C. W. Alexander, Charlotte, Mecklenburf/ Co., X. C, Jug. 1, 18H3. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 20 carp in November, 1880. My pond 

 covers i acre, has a muddy bottom, aud is supplied from springs. 



Plants. — An abundance of natural grasses grow ai)out the pond. 



Enemies. — There are (juite a number of perch in the i)oud. I have succeeded in 

 keeping the turtles caught out. I have tried to kill out everything but the carp. 



Growth. — I have 19 of the original lot, and they will weigh from 5 to 7 pounds 

 each. 



Reproduction. — I think the perch destroyed the spawn, as, when I drew oft' the 

 ]>ond last fall, I found at least 3 bushels of perch. 



.5.50. Statement of W. 11. Crier, Charlotte, Mecklenlmrg Co., N.C., Auf|.\,iSB'^. 



Disposition of carp received. — The 40 carp received in November, 1880, 1 placed 

 in an artificial pond covering about \ acre, with a depth from 18 inches to 4 feet, and 

 a muddy bottom. A moderately cool spring supplies the pond with water. 



Plants. — Cresses grow in the pond, aiid ordinary meadow grasses along the banks. 



Enemies. — Frogs aud turtles in abundance, but no other fish inhabit the pond. 



Food. — I give the carp scraps of fresh meats, rabbit-meat, and different kinds of 

 coarse food. 



Growth and reproduction. — I think there are 3ij old carp remaining. I can give 

 no idea of the number of young. One measured 14 inches in length. 



Difficulties.— I have not given the carp the attention they should have received. 

 I find it difilicult to rid the jiond of the frogs and turtles. 



