[171] 



CARP-CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 829 



1831. I placed them m a i-acre pond, having a muddy bottom and a depth all the 

 Avay up to 4 feet. The pond is supplied by a stream of spring water, 2 feet wide and 1 

 inch deep, except in winter, when the supply is greater. It contains no plants 



ENE3IIES.— Small minnows, frogs, and muskrats inhabit the pond, but there are no 

 turtles at present. 



Food.— I never fed the carp till last fall. I gave them about 1 V quarts of cooked 

 corn-meal daily through the winter, but do not feed them now, as I'have enlarged my 

 pond. " 



Geow'TH. — When I turned the carp into the pond in March, 1881, they weighed about 

 2 ounces, and were as large as a man's finger. In June, 1881, 3 months after' they were 

 taken out of the Ijox, I drew off the water from the pond and caught the largest of the 

 carp, which weighed 2 pounds and was more than 1 foot long. It was, however, acci- 

 dentally killed by some boys throwing at a muskrat. I drew off the water again on 

 November 8, 1881, and caught a carp (not the largest) which was 22 inches in^'length 

 and weighed 7 pounds. This truly wonderful growth was attained without any food 

 having been given the carp. There was littlo diflerence in the sizes of the 8 carp re- 

 maining at that date (November, 1881). I i.ow have 13 old caip remaining. In Jhirch 

 1883, the original carp averaged from 10 to 12 pounds: one in particular weighed 11^ 

 pounds. I suppose they weigh from 13 to 14 poimds. The young of 1882 weighed from 

 1 to 2 pounds in March, 1883, at which time 16 yearlings were taken out. 



Reproduction and disposition of young.— I placed about 3«K^I00 young, from 3 to 

 6 inches long, in a newly constructed pond, covering 2 acres, this spring (1884). They 

 grew very rapidly during the spring, and by this time are much larger than when I 

 placed them in the pond. 



Edible qualities. — We have eaten a few cai-p fried. Some liked them, while othei-s 

 thought they had a taste of mud. They are not equal to trout, perch, cat, &c. 



Difficulties. —My carp have been healthy with the exception of an occasional sore, 

 as if injured. Floods broke my new pond and allowed some of the young carp to escape. 



Miscellaneous. — I intend to use the old pond for breeding purjwses exclusively. I 

 am able to draw otf the water at any time. I have another small pond, 6 by 60 feet, 

 just below a clear spring, and in which I intend to place the carj^ I desire to eat. I Avill 

 feed them on nice food, which, with pure water, I trust will make them edible at any 

 season of the year. I desire some carp of the scale variety. 



777. Statement of Francis Pride, Cedar Hill, Robertson Co., Tenn., Ju/;/ 27, 1883. 



Disposition of cakp received. — The 14 scale carp received on November 20, 1879, 

 and 50 mirror, received subsequently, I put in 2 of the 5 apartments of my pond, hav- 

 ing muddy bottoms and depths of from 1 to 4 feet. Fort}'- gallons of cold, clear spring 

 water flow through them per minute. 



Plants and enemies. — Plants indigenous here grow in the pond. Native trout, 

 black bass, a few turtles, and many frogs inhabit the other apartments of the pond. 



Food. — I give the carp bread, curd, and various kinds of vegetable food two or three 

 times a week. 



Growth. — The 5 original carp are each about 2 feet long, and weigh from 10 to 15 

 pounds. A scale carp at 2 j-ears old weighed 7 i pounds, and was 17y inches in circum- 

 ference, and 22.} inches long. The carp have been healthy. 



Eepeoduction. — This is the first year that the carp have spawned. The fry are in- 

 numerable, and, as they were hatched in June and the early part of this month, they 

 are very small. 



Difficulties. — As I could not keep the trout and the carp apart last year, the trout 

 devoured many of the young carp. I have some of the carp so situated now that the 

 trout can not disturb them. The last lot of 20 carj) disappeared during the winter. 



778. Statement of George W. Walker, Springfield, Robertson Co., Tenn., Aug. 11, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — The 6 carp received in December, 1880, I put in a 

 pond covering about h an acre, having a muddy bottom. The water is Irom 5 to 6 

 feet deep on the north" and west sides of the pond tor ^ of the entire pond, and is only 

 from 15 to 20 inches deep on the east and west sides. Rain water supplies the pond, 

 which is subject to a rise of 2 feet. 



Plants.— The pond contains no plants, but around its edges grow swamp-grasses. 



Enemies.— Since I drained the pond in ISSO, and in 1881 when it drained itself, it 

 has contained no other fish than carp. I kill the frogs and turtles as tliey appear. 



Food. — The carp receive sustenance from the drainage of a barn-yard, in addition to 

 the corn-bread I feed them. 



Growth. — The carp remaining is about 18 inches long, and is of good size. 



