872 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [214] 



984. Statement of E. S. White, Bdltcn, Marshall Co., W. Va., July 27, 1883. 



Disposition of carp eeceived. — The carp I received in 1881 and 1882 I put in a 

 pond from 18 to 24 inches deep. It is supplied ^vith water froni a spring, and has no 

 outlet, except through an earth "dump" of the Baltimore and Ohio Kailroad. 



Plants. — Wild grasses grow in the pond. Nothing that destroys the carp inhabits it. 



Growth. — The 10 original carp now weigh about 2 pounds each. 



Reproduction. — The young, of which there are not very many, vary in weight from 

 J to 1 pound. 



Difficulties. — The drought of 1881 nearly exterminated the original carp. 



985. Statement of J. B. Eager, Board Tree, Marshall Co., W. Va., July 26, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — In the fall of 1881 I received 30 carp. My pond 

 is more than i acre in extent, never less than 3 feet deep, with a clayey bottom. It is 

 supplied with spring water. 



Plants and enemies. ^ — Grass grows in the pond, and frogs in great numbers infest 

 it. No other fish inhabit it. 



Food. — I feed the carp, but not as often as I should, on bread, dough, and vegetables. 



Growth. — I have seen only 3 of the original carp, each of which when one year old 

 weighed 4A pounds. They do not come to the surface. 



Difficulties. — I do not know the proper manner or time of feeding. 



686. Statement of Leicis W. Eunncr, Morgantovm, Monongalia Co., W. Va., Aug. 6, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received.— I received a lot of carp on April 22, 1881. My 

 pond is 40 by 69 feet, with a depth of 6A feet in its deepest part. It has a muddy bot- 

 tom. The flow of water is ^ of an inch. Spring water flows into the pond through a 

 ditch a huudre<l yards long. 



Plants and enemies. — Common river and swamp grasses grow in the pond. Itcon- 

 tains no enemies but bull-frogs. 



Food. — I give the cai-p bread, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, and wheat daily. 



Reproduction. — Several hundrwl young are in the jwnd. They measure from 4 to 

 02 inches in length. The original carp were stolen in August, 1882. 



Difficulties. — A l;wk of water h;is been a great drawlxick to me in the cultivation 

 of the carp. 



987. Statement of John M. Ferguson, Aldcraon, Monroe Co., W. Va., July 24, 1883. 



Disposition of carp recefv'ed. — In 1881 I receivetl 24 carp. They have l)©en kept 

 in pouds such :is are usuallj- foiind in a limestone country, in mill-dams, and in still 

 water. The ponds are large and fed by rains. They never go dry. The mill-dams are 

 on small creeks. 



Plants and enemies. — Blue-grass .and plants that are indigenous here grow in the 

 ponds. Cattish, suckere, chubs, hard-shell turtles, and bull-frogs inhabit them. 



Food. — I give the carp in the ponds corn-bread and refuse from the table and kitchen. 



Growth and reproduction. — The yearling carp are about 10 inches long; the old 

 ones larger. Considerable numbers of small young have been seen in the pond this 

 season. 



Difficulties. — Turtles and small fish destroy the spawn. 



988. Statement of Eufus Eouchins, Indian C}-ecl; Monroe Co., W. Va., Sept. 14, 1882. 



Disposition of carp received. — I put the 1 dozen carp, 2J inches long, received the 

 last of April, in a small pond covering J of an acre. 



Growth. — At the end ot 4 months 1 drained my pond and found the growth of my 

 carp to be remarkable. Nine of them are now 14 inches long, and 2, 12 inches long, one 

 only being missing. 



989. Statement of Daniel 3Iaxivcll, Boney's Point, Ohio Co., W. Va., Aug. 6, 1883. 



Disposition of carp received. — I received 20 carp in 1882. My pond is 30 by 50 

 feet, has a muddy bottom, and is 4 feet deep. It is supplied with a flow of from 1 to 2 

 inches of spring water. 



Pl.\nts and enemies. — Swamp-grass, water-flags, and calamus grow in the pond. 

 Frogs infest it. 



