[149] 



CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 807 



The CEEEK stocked.— In August, 1882, in consequence of a very heavy rain my 

 pond rose 7 inches and overflowed. Some large and some small carp escaped into the 

 creek below. Some time after the dam broke a man Ciiught, with a dip-net, from the 

 creek at some distance below my pond, 50 young carp and 1 large one. 



667. Statement of J. M. CourtrigJd, Wilkes Barrc, Luzerne Co., Pa., A^or. 9, 1882. 



Disposition of carp eeceived.— Last fall I received 20 carp and put if, in my pond 

 but kept 4 in my fish-box until spring before I put them in. They got very tame. I can- 

 not see them this fall ; am afraid something has caught them. 



668. Statement of C. W. Heydrick, Carleton, fiercer Co., Fa., Jan. 27, 1883. 



Vitality. — Yesterday I received a consignment of 20 carp in a bucket containing about 

 one gallon of water, one-half of which was frozen. Fifteen were in good condition. 

 Five of the fish were firmly imbedded in the ice, and when released were apparently 

 dead. I at once changed them into a bucket of fresh water and by careful manipula- 

 tion I succeeded in restoring all, so that they are now out of danger. One of them was 

 pretty near gone. It showed no signs of life for over 3 hours after I received it. I 

 opened its gills with a needle and inflated its lungs by blowiug in its mouth, and then 

 placed it under water and manipulated it to imitate the operation of l)reathing — this op- 

 eration I repeated several times at intervals for three hours until all were restored. 



669. Statement of B. F. Milford, Centretown, fiercer Co., Pa., Sept. 29, 1882. 



Disposition of caep received. — In the fall of 1881 I received 26 small carp and 

 put them in a pond 75 by 150 feet, with a muddy bottom. Thirteen of them died in the 

 winter. 



Growth. — This spring they were about 3 inches long. On September 22d I examined 

 them again and found that the remaining 13 averaged 14 inches in length and 3 pounds 

 in weight. 



670. Statement of J. C. Offutt, Leesburg, Mercer Co., Pa., Oct. 9, 1882. 



Growth and reproduction. — I have a nice lot of young carp which number from 

 300 to 400. They were hatched about the 25th to the 28th. My success surpasses all 

 expectation. The 1 or 2 old ones are regular old whales. 



671. Statement of Henry Edenburn, West Middlesex, fiercer Co., Pa., Sept. 16, 1882. 



Eeproduction. — My fish are doing well. I have 2,000 young ones in my pond at 

 this time. 



672. Statement of A. Spanogle, Leuistown, Mifflin Co., Pa., Aug. 20, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — The 10 carp received in June, 1883, and the 20 re- 

 ceived last tall I placed in a pond 45 by 85 feet, ha%ing a depth of Irom 3 to 4 feet and 

 a muddy bottom. I have made an addition to the pond of 35 square feet, and also from 

 1 to 2 feet in depth where the water leaves the pond. 



Plants. — Frog-spittle grows in the pond and various kinds of grass around its edges. 



Enemies. — I have caught most of the suckers and minnows that inhabit the pond. 



Food. — I feed bread and curd occasionally. They do not want artificial food at this 

 season of the year as there is enough natural food in the pond. 



Growth.— I caught 2 carp in' the fall of 1882 that weighed, respectively, 5 and 7 

 pounds. I have seen 6 of the original carp at one time, but as I cannot draw off all the 

 water I am unable to give the exact number. They are in a healthy condition. There 

 are young fish in the pond, but it is not known whether they are carp or not. 



G73. Statement of G. H. Steinmetz, Korristown, Montgomery Co., Pa., A'or. 5, 1883. 



Growth.— Some time since I shot a carp which proved to be 25 inches long and to 

 weigh 7!! pounds. At the time of the shooting it was near the shore in the long grass 

 and weeds looking for vegetable matter. 



Habits.— I do not think it of a carnivorous nature, as I have seen no attempt «" jt^ 

 part to catch minnows. On opening the stomach I found the food in a very much de- 

 composed state, consisting of a dark pulpy mass with a few pieces of worms. I consider 

 the carp a vegetable feeder. 



