868 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [210] 



Eepeoduction. — The young fry vary in length from J inch to li inches, and are from 

 1,000 to 3,000 in number. 



Difficulties. — As I did not receive any carp in the spring of 1880, I procured and 

 placed in my pond about 100 sun-perch and suckers, knowing the latter were not car- 

 nivorous, and supposing that the former Tvere not. Finding the increase of the sun- 

 l^erch so great, I drew off the water in June, 1882, when many thousands of the sun-perch 

 were to be seen. I also found 12 of the 14 carp and removed them to a large box through 

 which a constant stream of fresh water ran. 1 allowed the pond to remain without water 

 imtil all of the bottom except 10 square feet, where the mud was 6 inches deep, was dry. 

 The water was then turned into the pond and the carp replaced. In 3 weeks I discov- 

 ered the iwnd to be again fall of young snn-perch, the .spawn evidently retaining vitality 

 in the spot of mud. I drew the pond again last April, and allowed the bottom to get 

 perfectly dry. Now that the pond is rid of the sun-perch I am greatly encouraged, and 

 I have no doxibt that I Avill be successtul in the culture of carp. Purposing larger opera- 

 tions, I shall make other jwnds this season of greater dimensions. 



966. Statement of John G. White, Abingdon, Washington Co., Va., July 2Q, 1883. 



Disposition of caep eeceived. — About three years ago I received 15 carp, each 5 

 or G inches long. The fish are kept in a good-sized pond, having a gravelly and rocky 

 bottom and a depth of 4 feet. A very cold spring and a large stream supply it with 

 water, which does not freeze in winter. 



Plants. — The pond contained a little moss, which, however, soon disappeared. There 

 is nothing in it tliat disturbs the carp. 



Food. — I give the carp bread, and intend to throw into the pond a bag of ship-stulT 

 once a month. 



Growth. — I have never seen them until this summer, when I counted at ditferent 

 times 8 or 10 of the original carp. They appeared to be from 12 to 15 inches long. 



9G~. Statement of Hiram V. Thompson, Gtadc Spring, Washington Co., Va., N'ov. 8, 1883. 



Disposition of carp receia'ED. — About February 1, 1883, 1 received 12 mirror carp, 

 which were about an inch long. My pond covers an acre, and is from 4 to 5 feet deep in 

 places, though much of it is covered with shallow water. In April I got from a neighbor 

 5 scixle carp a year or more old. 



Plants. — Grass and water-oats grow over the whole of the pond. 



Growth. — On the oOth of Septeml)er I took one of the young mirror carp, which meas- 

 ured 18 inches. I notice that the mirror carp grow the faster. 



Reproduction. — In July I discovered thousands of young, some of which are now 18 

 inches long, and many of them are of the mirror variety, though the 5-year-old carp I 

 got in April are scale carp. I am puzzled as to whence these young mirror carp came, 

 as I cannot think that the carp which were an inch long in February have sufficiently 

 matured to produce eggs. 



In neither of the 4 ponds of my neighbors, from whom I got these scale carp, are 

 there any young, although the old one-; seem to thrive well. Their fish received last 

 spring at the same time as mine are 2 inches shorter. I think it due to the way in which 

 mine have been fed. 



9G8. Statement of Henry Horner, Potomac 31iUs, Westmoreland Co., Va., Aug. 1, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — The 25 carp which 1 received from Dr. Greenlaw in 

 December, 1880, I put in a 25-acre mill-pond, with a depth of from 1 to 11 feet, and sup- 

 plied with an abundance of spring water. 



Plants. — Plants that are indigenous here grow in the pond. 



Enemies. — Pike, or jack, catfi.sh, eels, yellow perch, chub, frogs, bull-frogs, turtles, 

 and snapping-turtlcs inhabit the pond. I never fed the carp. 



DifficI'LTIEs.— The carp were received in a healthy condition and placed in a pond 

 which had just been rebuilt after lying idle IG years. It was not long, however, be- 

 fore the dams alwve broke, filling my pond with trash and enemies of the caqi. I do 

 not know whether there are any carp there or whether they have been eaten by the pike. 



969. Statancnt of Charles M. Williams, Wyiheville, Wythe Co., Va., July 21, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — In 1879 I received 42 carp. The mill-pond into 

 which I p\it them is a mile long, 30 to 40 yards wide, and from 3 to 12 feet deep. Tlie 

 flow of water is enough to fill a 3] or 4 foot pipe. There are several springs in the pond. 



Plants. — Rushes, blue-grass, and weeds grow in the pond.. A large portion of it is 

 well shaded by the woods that skirt the pond. 



