[177] CAEP-CULTUKE IN THE UNITED STATES. 835 



800. Statement of Eugene Potthart, Weimar, Colorado Co., Tex., Aug. 3, 1883. 



Disposition of caep received. — I received 20 carp in December, 1880. My pond 

 covers an acre, is not over 7 feet deep, and has a bottom of yellow loam. It is sup- 

 plied with rain water, the temperature of which sometimes reaches 90°. 



Plants and enemies. — There are no plants except the common water-grasses, and 

 no fish, frogs, or turtles in it. 



Food. — We feed them with old Hour-bread and some corn. 



Growth. — There are 5 of the original lot left, which would weigh l)etwcen (i and 

 7 pounds each. Some of those which died weighed 3 1 pounds on the 17th of August, 



1881, when I had had them but 7 months. 



Repkoduction. — The young from last year's spawning are from 18 to 20 inches long 

 and from 2] to 3 pounds in weight. The young of this spring are about 4 to 5 inches 

 long. 



Difficulties. — I lost 15 during the first year, which died in the pond. The worst 

 difficulty is the negroes with their hooks and lines. 



801. Statement of George C. Planner, Dallas, Dallas Co., Tex., July 19, 1882. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 20 scale and 20 leather carp in January, 



1882, which were from 3 to 4 inches in length, the leather carj) being the larger. I placed 

 the scale and leather carp in separate ponds. 



Enemies. — I took out of the pond all the little minnows I could find, and especially 

 hundreds of craw-fish, which I feared would devour the carp. 



Food. — The carp are now fed daily, and have lost their timidity to such an extent as 

 to come to the feeding-spot by the dozen, and even to eat out of my hand. 



Growth. — No trace of the carp was seen, except a change in the appearance of the 

 water, it always being muddy, until June 15, 1882, when I caught a carp more than a 

 foot in length. At this I was amazed, as I did not think they were longer than 8 inches. 

 They are from 12 to 18 inches long. There are no young yet. 



How to catch carp. — It had been reported to me during the month of May and the 

 first of June that fish had been seen jumping out of the water in my pond. To .satisfy 

 myself of the truth of this report, on June 14 I threw into the pond a hook baited with 

 ])oiled potatoes. As the bait was always eaten ofif I suspected craw-fish. On the next 

 day, June 15, I used a worm as bait, and within a minute after dropping the hook in the 

 water I caught a carp more than a foot long. The carp was hooked in the side of the 

 jaw, and after carefully removing it I replaced the fish in the water. 



Habits. — A few days ago I saw a leather carp from 17 to 18 inches long, with two- 

 thirds of its body out of the shallow water, rooting in the mud for the distance of from 8 

 to 10 yards. It then turned into deeper water, where it continued the same operation, 

 reminding me of the rooting of ii hog. 



802. Statement of Jas. C. Michener, Hutchins, Dallas Co., Tex., Sej>t. 20, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I lost about half of the first lot of carp bringing 

 them from Austin in cans, but I received some more last February. I have an artificial 

 I)ond at the head of a spring, which is from 2 to 4 feet deep. 



Plants and enemies. — It contains duck-meat and English water-cress, and also 

 small catfish and sunfish. 



Food. — I gave them corn-mush and corn-bread daily at first, but only rarely since the 

 grass and weeds have grown. 



Growth. — They are at present about a foot long. 



• 803. Statement of W. A. Kendall, Pilot Point, Denton Co., Tex., Jan. 10, 1882. 



Growth.— On April 1, 1881, I placed in my pond 18 carp from 2 to 4 inches long. 

 I drained the pond on August 1, 1881, to rid it of the catfish that were in the pond be- 

 fore I placed the carp there, and found only 7 of the original number. lUit each one was 

 14 inches long ; and as soon as this fact became known others at once conimenced prep- 

 arations for their culture. I will be able to report in another ^-ear that this new iudus- 

 ^try is a grand success in Northern Texas. 



804. Statement of E. N. Chay, San Diego, Duval Co., Tex., Get. 27, 1882. 



Growth.— I have 3 tanks, in one of which there is a carp IG inches long, Aveighing 3:y 

 uounds. It is the only one I have left of 13 received last January. 



