[153] CARP-CULTUEE IN THE UNITED STATES. 811 



In the faU of 1882, the gentleman in -nhose pond I placed my carp bought 26 carp 4 

 inches in length. They now average 12 inches in length and 16 ounces in weight. 



689. Statement of John Gardner, EMersfviUe, Washington Co., Pa.. July 28 1884. 



Geowth. — A year ago I placed in a pond supplied with spring water 40 scale carp 

 measuring from 3 to 5 inches in length. On June 9, 1884, I drew my pond and found 

 36 fish from 8 to 16 inches long. I have seen no young yet. 



690. Statement of J. Shan Margerum, Washington, Washington Co., Pa., Juty 2i 1883. 



Disposition of caep eeceived.— The 18 mirror carp received on October 27, 1880, 

 I put in a pond 30 feet in diameter, having a depth of 3 feet and a miiy bottom.' A 2- 

 inch stream from a never-lailing spring supplies the pond. It never freezes over in 

 winter. 



Plants. — Blue grass grows around the edges of the pond. 



Enemies. — Nothing that disturbs the carp inhabits the pond. 



Food. — The carp come to the surface for bread and cheese, which they take like pigs. 



1 feed weekly. 



Growth. — The 13 carp remaining are from 22 to 25 inches in length and weigh from 

 6 to 8 pounds. Last September they weighed 4.2 povmds, and the largest was 20 inches 

 long. The carp are much admired. 



IvEPRODUCTioif . — There are bushels of young in the pond, which are from 2 to 1 4 inches 

 long. They first spawned in 1882. The largest weigh from l^- to 2 pounds. Carp cult- 

 ure has been very successlul here where they have been unmolested by other fish, musk- 

 rats, and turtles. 



Disposition of young. — I have stocked other waters with the fry. 



Difficulties. — The cause of the death of a few carp this spring is unknown, unless 

 it be that there were too many fish in the pond for the quantity of water. 



Value. — They may l)e grown with but little labor, expense, or risk, and at a profit 

 that will make their cultivation very remunerative, especially to farmers, who are often 

 seriously inconvenienced to procure fresh meat, and to whom the fish would be a most 

 useful and agreeable substitute. There is no reason why every neighborhood in the 

 county should not contain a well-stocked pond that would furnish cheap and nourishing 

 food to the people. The growth of the fish is so rapid, and their fecundity is so great, 

 that they can be raised with verj' little cost, and hence can be .sold at a great profit. 

 Many of the farmers have shown their enterprise by rearing the improved breeds of 

 chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese, and they could raise fish, when once pre^jared for 

 it, with less cost and labor. 



Exhibition of carp. — I have just exhibited the three varieties of carp at our county 

 fair. The specimens varied in length from 1 to 22 inches, the age of the latter being 2 

 years. There are some only 1 year old, while others were apparently of only a few weeks' 

 growth. 



691. Statement of E. P. Gibbons, West Brownsville, Washington Co., Pa., July 20,188"^. 



Disposition of carp received. — The 15 carp received in November, 1880, and the 



2 mirror carp that I subsequently bought I put in 2 ponds, respectively 40 by 75 feet and 

 40 by 90 feet, with a depth of 3 feet in the centers, getting shallower nearer the shores. 

 The mud is thick on the bottoms. A l.j-inch stream of brook and half that quantity 

 of spring water supply the ponds. In mid-summer the temperature is 84°. 



Plants. — Both of the ponds are bordered with swamp-grass. A dense growth of 

 water-fern is in the smaller pond, while the larger one is bare of vegetation. 



Enemies. — An abundance of frogs inhabit the pond, but it contains no other fish than 

 carp. 



Food. — The water-fern in the smaller pond affords the carp a plentiful supply of food. 

 The carp in the larger pond eat ravenously and are fed daily on table refuse and garden 

 vegetables, and weekly on beef blood. 



Growth. — There are 4 original carp remaining. In the summer of 18SI the carp 

 increased in size from 2.} or 3 inches to 16 inches, and in the summer of 1882 only 2 

 inches had been added to their length since the former season. In that time they gained 

 much in weight. They now measure from 18 to 20 inches in length. 



Repeoduction. — The 800 young that were spawned last year are from 6 to 10 inches 

 long. The ponds are now swarming with this summer's young. 



Disposition of Young. — I have disposed of 300 young to stock other ponds. 



Difficulties. — I fear the frogs, which it seems I am unlikely to free the ponds of, 

 eat the spawn. All but the 4 original carp fell a prey to muskrats, turtles, and water- 

 snakes that formerly infested my ponds. 



