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CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 793 



Food. -Three or more times a week I give the carp potatoes, com, liver, and refuse 

 from the table. They are ever ready for food, and seem to relish everything that is given 

 them. 



Gkowth. — The original cai-p are from 15 to 18 inches long. I think I have all of them. 

 (^11 account of grass and mud I cannot see vrhether there any young yet. 



612. Statement of J. L. Stanley, Freeburg, Stark Co., Ohio, Apr. 4, 1883. 



Disposition of cakp keceived.— I received 20 carp in the latter part of the year 1882, 

 and a lot on the fourth day of the following April. I broke the ice when I placed the 

 first lot in the pond. Only 1 of the second lot was dead on receipt, and the remainder I 

 placed also in the pond. The water which supplies the pond is clear most of the time, 

 and the stream is no larger that ^ of an inch; yet it keeps both of my small ponds fall. 



Food. — I give the carp bread and boiled rice. 



Difficulties. — I was very unfortunate with my fii-st lot of carp on account of a de- 

 fect in my dam, and the second lot have also subsequently died. I cannot account for 

 this as the sun-fish and suckers, which I put into the pond after the death of the carp, 

 seem to do well. Tadpoles flourish in the pond, and there is a slight sulphur appearance 

 near the spring. 



613. Statement of 1). M. Stusser, Louisville, Stark Co., Ohio, Aug. 1, 1883. 



Disposition of caep keceived. — The carp received in December, 1882, I put into 

 a pond 40 by 300 feet, with a depth of from 10 inches to 4 feet, and a bottom of muck 

 and gravel. Springs at the bottom of the pond supply it with water during the entire 

 year. It has no outlet. 



Plants. — I remove the moss that grows from the bottom of the pond several times 

 each season. 



Enemies. — Red, or gold fish, sun-fish, frogs, and turtles are Ibund in the pond. I am 

 trying to seine out all but the carp. 



Food. — I do not feed the carp. 



Growth. — A carp caught to-day was 24 ounces by actual weight, which indicates that 

 they have wonderful growing qualities. I shall cultivate carp in preference to any other 

 fish. They are likely to give entire satisfaction wherever introduced. My carp have 

 not spawned yet. 



Difficulties. — The first lot of carp received in the winter of 1880-'81 was frozen 

 during the severe wdnter. 



014. Statement of James Baylitss, 3IassiUon, Stark Co., Ohio, July 25, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I have 3 ponds that were formed by constructing 

 as many dams across a small ravine. The first pond is 20 by 20 feet, and is 2^ feet above 

 the second dam, which forms a pond 20 by 90 feet. The third and lowest pond is 21 or 



3 feet below the second dam, and is 100 by 150 feet. Into this third pond I placed the 15 

 cai-p received on November 11, 1880. An average stream of from 2.1 to 3 inches of clear, 

 cool water that rushes from a limestone rock in a hill adjacent empties into the first 

 pond. The other ponds receive their supply of water from the first pond. The tem- 

 perature of the first pond is 55°; second, 60°; and the third, 65°. They are from 3 to 



4 inches deep, and have very muddy bottoms. 



Plants. — A few plants and 1 kind of pond-lily grow in the pond. Sometime a green 

 scum which grows from the bottom accumulates on the surface. 



Enemies. — Craw-fish, frogs, muskrats, and tadpoles inhabit the pond. 



IFood. — I do not feed the carp. 



Growth. — Last May 2 of the original carp weighed, respectively, 5 and 7 poxuids, 

 and the larger one measured 22 inches. 



Reproduction. — There are from 300 to 400 young in the pond, and they measure all 

 the way up to 8 inches in length. 



Difficulties. — A few months after the completion of the ponds, a sudden rise of 

 water washed out a small place in the breast of the dam and allowed some of the carp to 

 escape. These were floundering about in puddles in the meadow below. I replaced 3 

 or 4, which were all I could find, hoping they would live and do well, but they always 

 kept hid or were in the mud. It was only until the following May, when tlie pond was 

 very low, that any fish were discovered. 



The following day after the 2 original carp were caught, I found that the 2.}-iuch holes 

 that had been bored in two pump-logs under the dam to enable me to draw off" the water 

 at pleasure had been tampered with, and both were wide open. All the water andmany 

 fish were allowed to escape. I put the the pond in repair immediately, as my pond is 

 adapted to carp culture. I hope to make it a success. 



