834 KEPORT OF COJVIMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [176] 



Plants. — The ijonds contain water-cress, of which the carp are very fond. 



Exe:hies. — In pond number 1 there are surface minnows and some large fix)gs, Avhile 

 in number 2 there are frogs, a lew small turtles, but no minnows. 



Food. — Once a day we give them mush made of shorts mixed with corn-meal, and 

 also scraps from the table. 



Gkowth. — The old ones are 24 inches long, large and beautiful. I suppose there are 

 30 or 35 of them in pond number 1. Those sent in January, 1883, are now from 8 to 12 

 inches long. These, with 5 of the old ones, are in pond number 2. 



Repeoductiox. — In pond number 2 there are thousands of young. This year's young 

 hatched out about the middle of June, and are now from 1 to 3 inches long, while some 

 are as broad as two fingers. I think the minnows ate up the spawn in pond number 1. 



Miscellaneous. — I have become very much interested in them, and want to make 

 it a success. I will draw off" the first pond this summer, and try to get rid of the min- 

 nows. 



797. Statement of El(lri(t(jc V. Dickinson, Husk, C/ierokce. Co., Tex., July 27, 1883. 



Disposition of caep eeceived. — I received 20 cai-p in February, 1880, and 20 more 

 through our State commission. My pond covers !| of an acre, and averages 2 feet in 

 depth, and has a black, muddy bottom. It is fed by a spring near by with an abundance 

 of water, and is quite cold. 



Plants. — It contains several grasses, and a kind of flag somewhat like cat-tail, with 

 large and numerous roots. 



Enemies. — The pond contains perch, minnows, frogs, and turtles. I drained the pond 

 in 1880 and destroyed all kinds of native fish, so as to make Avay for the carp. In 6 

 months the water was alive with young perch and minnows In May, 1883, I drained 

 it again and found perch, minnows, turtles, frogs, and craw-fish in quantities. Some of 

 the perch will weigh nearly a pound. Having no connection with other streams, I do not 

 know how they got in. I kill the turtles with a gun, and manage to keep them pretty 

 well exterminated. 



Food. — I give them shelled corn and corn-meal once in a week or two. 



Geowth. — When I drained the pond this spring, in May, I found all of the old ones. 

 They were 15 inches long and from 2] to 3! pounds in weight. 



Eepeoduction. — They have produced no j'oung yet. In May of this year I exam- 

 ined the spawn in as many as a dozen. It was in a large mass of white or yellowish 

 substance, the eggs not being fully defined. I thought from its appearance that it would 

 mature some time during July or August and produce large quantities of young fish, if 

 the native fish do not devour the spawn. 



Miscellaneous. — The most serious difiiculty has been to keep the minnows, perch, 

 frogs, and turtles out. I am building a new 2-acre pond, favorably located, with mxiddy 

 bottom and an abundant supply of water. It is isolated, and it will have nothing in it 

 but the carp to start with: so that I can fully test the possibility of keeping it clear of 

 other fish and turtles. 



798. Statement of G. White, McKinney, Collin. Co., Tex., Jnlij 21 , 1883. 



Disposition of caep eeceived. — I received 20 carp in December, 1879, and put 

 them in an artificial pond 200 yards long, 50 yards wide, and from 2 to 8 feet deep. For 

 6 months it is fed bj^ a continuous stream of water, but during 6 months receives no 

 water. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains moss, flags, and some grasses, and also catfish, 

 perch, turtles, and frogs. The catfish, perch, and turtles, wliich could not be kept out, 

 destroyed the young one season. 



Difficulties. — We have no constant-running streams for refilling ponds when they 

 have been cb-awu ofl'. In our heaA'j^ floods it is almost impossible to keep the carp from 

 being washed out. During the flood in September, 1880, I lost them all. Thirteen of 

 them were catight on the shoaLs below, which weighed from 2;! to 3 jjounds each. We 

 cooked and ate 2 of them, which were of good quality. 



799. Statement of 3Iax Alhreeht Konz, Weimar, Colorado Co., Tex., Apr. 7, 1882, in behalf 

 of Joachia Mernitz, Middle Creek, Fayette Co. , Tex. 



Geowth. — The carj) received in December, 1881, are now each 18 inches long, and 

 arc in a very fine condition. They spawned on March 10, 1882. 



