798 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [140] 



630. Statement of Philip D. Weaver, MenaUen, Adams Co., Pa., Aug. 27, 1884. 



Growth. — I received 7 carp not 2 inches long in November, 1881. These carp are 

 now 2 feet long. In one pond I have 1,000 young about 14 inches in length and 5,000 but 

 little less than 2 inches long, and an unlimited number of smaller fry. The old ones are 

 2 feet long now. 



631. Statement of C. C. Lohingicr, Braddoek, Allegheny Co., Pa., Aug. 9, 1883. 



Disposition of caep received. — The 16 scale carp received on November 3, 1880, 

 I put in a pond 25 by 60 ieet, with a depth varying from 15 inches to 4 feet, and a bot- 

 tom of clay. A l|-inch stream of cold spring water supplies the pond. 



Plants. — Common grapes grow around the pond and out in the water. I put pond- 

 moss and water-cress in the pond repeatedly, but the carp devour them as fast as I put 

 them in. 



Enemies. — No other kinds of fish, but plenty of water-snakes, bull-frogs, and crabs 

 inhabit the pond. 



Food. — I give the carp bread and vegetables 3 or 4 times a week. They seem to pre- 

 fer fish-worms and watermelons to anything else. 



Growth. — There are 14 carp remaining. One jumped out of the pond and died. 

 They are from 12 to 18 inches long, and weigh 2 or 3 pounds. 



Reprodi'CTIon. — There are more than 100 young in the pond this year, which are 

 from I to 2 inches long. I discovered no fry until June, 1883. 



DiFFicri/riES. — The water that empties into my pond is too cold for the carp. I 

 think if the water had been warmer my carp would be much larger. The greatestdraw- 

 l)ack I have to contend with is the numerous snakes and crabs that inhabit my pond. 



632. Statement of J. W. Hi ghee, Castle Shannon, Allegheny Co., Pa., July 24, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — The 20 scale carp received on November 10, 1880, 

 I placed in 2 ponds co%ering, respectively, \ and :[ acre, having maximum depths of 6 

 and 8 feet, and muddy bottoms. A 3-inch stream ol" water at a temperature of 70° flows 

 through the ponds. The average depth is 2 feet. The ponds are constructed so that 1 

 can draw off the water. 



Plants. — Water-lilies and willows grow in the pond. 



Enemies. — Minnows and bull-frogs inhabit the larger pond. Nothing that disturbs 

 the carp inhabits the smaller pond, which I use as a spawning-pond. 



Food. — I give the carp stale bread daily, and occasionally give them corn and wheat. 



Growth. — The 12 carp remaining average about 24 inches in length and weigh about 

 8 pounds. One measured 22 inches last April. Three of the old carp have scales 1^ 

 inches in diameter. 



Reproduction, — There were 292 young hatched last year and thousands this year. 

 The yearlings average 12 inches in length and 1 pound in weight. The fry are from 1 

 to 4 inches long. I moved the young last spring to the large pond. There is a great dif- 

 ference in the size of the fish of the same age. 



Difficulties. — I have had trouble in killing the muskrats. 



Miscellaneous. — If the carp continue to do well I will build another ijond. I keep 

 only 9 of the old carp in the breeding pond, and shall keep no more than 6 there next 

 year. 



633. Statement of George Finley, East End, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pa., Jan. 5, 1880. 



Disposition of carp received. — I have my carp in what I call my fountain pond, 

 a circular l)asin about 24 feet in diameter with a center of stone work with a hollow cen- 

 ter into which the fish can go. This basin is paved with brick in the bottom and has a 

 girdle of 5 or 6 feet of boulders along or around the uj)per edge. It resembles in form 

 an immense wash basin, and in the bottom of it I have a draining an-angement just like 

 a wash-basin in a bath-room. The stone work in the center is surmounted by a patent 

 revolving and pulsating fountain. 



The water in this basin is about 3 feet deep, but before placing my fish in it I put a 

 large number of large boulder stones in the deepest part and over them I threw a large 

 amount of a fern that grows in the bottom of my breeding ponds, and also a lot of old 

 dead leaves from the maples alongside the basin. Over the boulders and litter I laid 

 large, flat stones, under which the fLsh can take shelter; and over these stones I stretched 

 plank and weighted them down with stones. I then raised the water and put in the 

 fish as soon as I got them. 



The winter here is so far an unusually open one, with the exception of a few days, when 



