[145] 



CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 803 



from 6 to 15 inches, but have not grown as rapidly as the original ciirp in the same 

 length of time. This may be due to too many (600 to 700) in so small a space. The 

 young hatched this summer are very fine, and are about two inches long. 



Sales.— Last year I sold and gave away about 200, and have the balance iu the pond. 

 This season I have sold nearly $100 worth of carp at 10 cents each. 



Difficulties. — One of the old carji flirted out of the water on the bank, and 6 others 

 disappeared. 



Edible qualities. — My table has frequently been supplied with fish of the finest 

 quality. The flesh of the carp is very white, and of the finest flavor. 



651. Statement of F. Curley, Williams Grove, Clearfield Co., Fa., July 23, 1883. 



Disposition' of caep received. — November 15, 1880, I received 13 carp, about 2 

 inches in length, and put them into a pond about 100 yards square, with a mud bottom 

 covered with thick moss. It is fed by one of the best springs iu the county, which is cold 

 in summer and warm in winter. 



Plants and enemies. — The water contains cresses and otherwild grass, andalsocon- 

 tiiins a good many lizards and some catfish. 



Food. — I have fed the carp once a week with wheat-bread, corn meal baked, cold 

 potatoes, and lights. 



Growth. — The original carp are now 12 to 14 inches long. I would not sell one at any 

 price. 



Reproduction. — About spawning time I could often see 6 at a time. They dart 

 under the moss as soon as they see any one. I cannot tell whether they have au^ young. 



652. Statement of William Balime, Newlin, Columbia Co., Fa.. July 14, 1884. 



Disposition of carp received.: — I received 41 carp in December, 1880, and have 

 received 20 since. One of my carp ponds has half an acre in it, and the other a third 

 of an acre. The dam is 25 feet thick at the bottom, growing narrow at the top. The 

 greatest depth ofthe pond is 6 feet, runningout to nothing. Partof the bottom is composed 

 of clay and part of gravel and mud. There are on the bottom some great stones, 9 feet long, 

 which are raised up somewhat so that the fish can creep under them ; grass has been planted 

 on them, and the roots hang down. Water is supplied fi'om springs, some nearly half a 

 mile away, some a quarter of a mile away, and some iu the middle of the pond. The 

 water supply is regulated by a gate, and only so much comes in and so much goes out. 

 During heavy rains we cut it off entirely, so as to prevent the lime and manure water 

 from the fields from coming in. We can shut the gate from our bed-room window in case 

 of night thunder storms. I never let more than 4 inches of water enter. Sometimes the 

 water gets low, especially in winter. Then the minks catch the carp. While we have 

 been at work on the pond the water has been very low, and I have kept two lanterns 

 burning all night on the banks. Many people thought we could raise no carp because 

 our water is cold. 



Plants. — The plants are spatter-dock lilies, which I fetched from New Jersey; some 

 of our lilies here, and many grasses, partly meadow-grass, through which the cai-p creep 

 as natural as can be. 



Enemies. — The cranes, minks, muskrats, snakes, and turtles have made me a great 

 deal of trouble. I caught 87 muskrats in one year and 15 minks. We scraped the pond 

 a few days ago, and it is clean now from all water animals. I found 5 eels. Five of my 

 neighbors got carp, but their carp were all eaten up by snakes. 



Food. — We feed the carp with boiled corn. 



Growth.— November 6, 1883, there were 13 in all left, 8 or 9 being of the first lot 

 and the rest of the second lot. They weighed 4 pounds, good weight. To look at them 

 we thought they would weigh 7 or 8 pounds, but I put them in a bag and weighed 

 nearly all of them myself, and 4 pounds was the most. 



Reproduction. — i saw young for the first time in my pond July 7, 1884. 



Edible qualities. — I am 44 years old, and have fished ever since I was big enough 

 to catch a whipping for fishing for red speckled trout, but never ate any sucli sweet and 

 rich fish in all my time. . , 



How to catch carp. — I caught some with a little minnow, since Avliich tune they 

 are very shy. 



653. Statement of S. F. Graham, Linesrille, Crawford Co., Fa., July 21, 1884. 



Growth.— Cold water killed all but 2 of the consignment of curp received by my 

 father, George Graham, in 1881. These 2 carp now average about 5 pounds. Ihey have 

 not spawned yet. 



