J^OO REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [142] 



was a small amount of shallow and rather mnddy water and much exposed to the sun's 

 rays. 



Plants. — I have 2 or 3 kinds of grass that grows very profusely in the bottom of 

 one of my older ponds, and will plant it in the pond where I have my young fish. There 

 is also a kind of saw-grass growing profusely along the edges of some of my small 

 ponds. This I propose taking up in large sods and placing in the shallow water. I 

 have a bridge or covering under which the fish can quietly lay in darkness during the 

 winter season. The valve and drainiug-pipe are at the lower end and bottom of this 

 ditch; and around the valve is a boxing, with spaces between the slats of j inch, open- 

 ing at side and top, and up through which extends a bail to raise the valve by means of a 

 hook. This is a most perfect mode of preventing the loss of fish by suction when lower- 

 ing the water. I feel certain of 18 healthy fish at present and hope to winter them 

 safely. 



Growth. — On draining the water from this pond on the 21st day of August, 1880, I 

 found a large fish and captured it with a dip-net, and to my astonishment it was one of 

 my carp, which by actual measurement was 13 inches long. There being an outlet or 

 connection between this pond and the fountain pond, it was not hard to account for its 

 being there. I put it in the fountain pond with the other 7 until I got sufficient water 

 in the large pond. I then drained the fountain pond and found that the other 7 fish were 

 much smaller but very perfect and healthy. The fountain pond was of a much lower 

 temperature and deeper than the other one in which the large fish grew. I infer from 

 this that temperature has much to do with the growth of the carp. These 7 fish are now 

 in this ncAV, large pen, in the bottom of which I have a large ditch cut in the shallow 

 bottom. 



637. Statement of George Finley, East End, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pa., Nov. 4, 1880. 



Growth. — On October 29, 1879, one of my carp measured 4} inches in length. This 

 same carp died on October 4, 1880, and was found to be 16^ inches long. 



638. Statement of George Finley, East End, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pa., Dec. 7, 1833. 



Disposition of caep keceived. — In October, 1878, I received 25 carp about as 

 broad as my thumb and only a few inches long. 1 put them in 2 small ponds with 

 different exposures and different temperatures in summer. I have also an artificial 

 lake covering from 3 to 3^ acre^, 2 other fine ponds, and close ponds. 



Construction of ponds. — I have had 28 years' experience in fish culture, and as 

 the carp is a still-water fish I think it only necessary to have enough water to keep the 

 pond full. It is not necessary to have large ponds. 



Food. — I feed the carp largely on stale baker's-bread. And while curd of milk and 

 spoiled cheese are excellent for them, they will eat almost anything that a pig will eat. 



Growth and reproduction. — The following fall after I placed the carp in the pond 

 1 found that they averaged 16'. inches in length, and in the fall of 1881 were 19-] inches 

 long and weighed 5 pounds. I have grown carp 9 inches in length from spring to fall, 

 and a 6-inch carp in the spring grew to the length of 16 inches the following fall. I have 

 also 18 months' old carp that are 18 inches long. This rapid growth only occure when 

 the parent fish are large and spawn early in spring. As you go farther south, where 

 the summers are longer, even a greater size is attained. Last spring a large number of 

 young were seined out of, but thousands of fine large fish, and hundreds of from 12 to 

 18 inches, were left in the lake. Carp are wonderfully prolific, and, in my opinion, 

 nothing multiplies and grows taster. 



Edible qualities. —Carp are palatable, nutritious, and healthy. Its flesh is of ex- 

 cellent flavor, and, like the shad, combines the qualities that go to make a perfect whole. 



Superiority as a food-fish. — The German carp being omnivorous is the only va- 

 riety that can be profitably cultivated as a food-fish. I have given other varieties of food- 

 fish, such as black biuss, a long and fair trial, and the experiment ended in disappoint- 

 ment and pecuniary loss. No fish that requires live food alone can be profitably raised 

 as an article of food. 



Habits. — Although they prefer to eat off the bottom, they come to the surface for 

 their food, which they eat as regularly as ducks or chickens. The bread floats on the 

 surface, and is torn and jerked under with the voracity of young sharks. They are like 

 domestic animals to me. 



Hardihood. — Although the 12 carp, 6 inches long, which I sent to Florida in a large 

 tin cixn were 5 days on their journey, they arrived in excellent condition. They stand 

 transportation and rough usage wonderfullj^ well, and, on being kept out of the water a 

 reasonable time, do not die. 



Miscellaneous. — Carp, like other fish, take the hook of the angler more readily at 

 some seasons than at others. Sometimes they cannot be induced to touch one. 



