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CARP CULTUEE IN THE UNITED STATES. ggg 



Enemiks. — The pond contains white suckers, minnows, frogs, and turtles. 

 Difficulties. — We have not seen nor been able to catch any, although we believe the 

 carp are still in the pond. 



970. Statement of Robert E. Withers, Wyt/uviUe, Wythe Co., Va., Juli/ 25, 188d. 



Disposition of cakp eixeived. — In the spring of 1879 I received 33 carp, and 20 

 more in January, 1880. My pond is from ^ to | of an acre in extent and 8 lieet deep, 

 with a clayey and gravelly bottom, and is supplied with water from a spring 200 yard.s 

 distant. The water has a temperature of 63"^ and a flow of 3 or 4 gallons per minute. 



Plants. — Rushes, flags, grasses of varioug kinds, water-eresses, water-dock, and two 

 or three varieties of alga grow in the pond. 



Enemies. — Water terrapins, snapping-turtles, green frogs, and water-snakes infest the 

 pond. It contains no other lish than carp . I also find the muskrat an active depredator. 



Food.— The carp have been regularly fed with potatoes, breatl, chopjjed and crushed 

 com, and vegetables from the kitchen. 



Geowth. — I^ast fall some of the carp weighed 6l and 7 pounds. Owing to the break- 

 age of the dam in December, 1881, and in June, 1883, I have few, if any, of the original 

 carp left. 



Repkoduction. — There are a large number of young in the pond, and they A^ary much 

 in size. The young of last year's hatching are the size of a hand. 



Disposition of young. — I have given some young to several applicants to stock their 

 ponds. 



Edible qualities. — I have tested the edible qualities of the carp both in spring and 

 fall months, and find them better iu the latter season, just Ijefore the cold weather com- 

 mences. 



TI^EiST VIKGIKIA. 



971. Statement of John A. Trimble, Pepper, Barbour Co., W. Va., Nov. 28, 1882. 



Geowth. — Of the carp received April 30, 1881, I raised 11, and this fall they measured 

 21 inches iu length. One caught March 3, 1882, then measured 15 inches in length and 

 5 in breadth. 



972. Statement of George E. Showers, Martinsburg, Berkeley Co., W. Va., Apr. 21, 1883. 



Geowth. — In November, 1881, I put 21 carp in my pond, and having seen no signs 

 of them I concluded to draw off the water on the 13th instiint. To my surprise I found 

 them all right and of fine size. One of them, not the largest, weighed Zl pounds. 

 Those I have will be 2 years old this summer. 



Edible qualities. — I had one of them cooked, and all who ate of it pronounce carp 

 to be better than shad. 



973. Siatoneni of J. E. Curtis, Wcllsburg, Brooke Co., W. Va., Aug. 6, 1883. 



DiSTElBUTlON OF CAEP EECEIVED. — My pond being in an unfinished condition, an 

 unexpected flood carried oif the first lot of 20 carp which I received. About December 

 1, 1882, I received a second lot of 00. My pond measures 40 by 90 feet, is from 2 to 5 

 feet deep, and has a bottom of tough limestone, clay, and gravel. A 3-inch pipe leads 

 from a spring to the pond, the supply of which varies very much from a full pipe in 

 spring, fall, and winter, to a very small stream in summer. The temperature of the 

 water is about that of large streams here. 



Plants. — Roots of plantain and of swamp-grass grow around the edges of the pond. 



Enemies. — The pond is infested by frogs, water-snakes, turtles, and muskrats. I 

 found one carp Mlf eaten, a.s I supposed, by muskrats. No other fish inhabit it. 



Food. — Every 3 or 4 days since May 1, I have thrown some light breiid on the sur- 

 face of the water. I gave the carp clover, parsnips, beets, corn, and oats, but I have 

 never seen them eat anything but bread. They come to the surlace for bread. 



Geowth and eepeoduction. — At one time I counted 24 of the original carp, each 

 of which are from 5 to G inches long, and weigh about f pound. I have watched care- 

 fully for young fish, but think they arc too young. If I get any young this season I ex- 

 pect to stock another acre. 



974. Statement of JohnC. Covcll, Romncij, Hampahire Co., W. Va., July 21, 1883. 



Disposition of caep eeceived. — In 1881 our Fish Commissioner put into the pond 

 of the West Virginia Institute several old carp aljout ready to spawn. The pond, or 



