CHAPTER XT. 



WATER PLANTS FOB CARP PONDS. 



A luxuriant growth of plants in portions of the pond, adapted to their 

 production, not only beautify the sheet of water but serve several import- 

 ant purposes, and is an important factor in successful pond culture. 

 They are remedial agents in imbibing carbon and throwing off oxygen, 

 thus greatly contributing to a healthy condition of the water. They are 

 almost indispensable to the spawning pond and if not present artificial 

 methods of catching the eggs, such as using the branches of trees, must 

 be resorted to. They are the legitimate accessories of all ponds, as on 

 their stalks and leaves multitudes of bugs and insects, throughout the 

 entire season, deposit their eggs and hatch their young, which become the 

 natural food of the carp. It is thus that these portions of the ponds, 

 where the vegetation grows, become the natural feeding grounds of the 

 carp. 



Gravel and stone bottom ponds are almost barren of vegetation, there- 

 fore produce but little insect life, and hence such ponds are desirable for 

 carp culture, only when artificial feeding is resorted to. 



The measure of life in the water as out of it, is the fertility of the soil. 

 In this will be found the reason why carp do much better, in some ponds, 

 than in others in the same neighborhood, the ponds being similar in 

 everything but the fertility of bottom, and the vegetation produced. 



There are several families of water plants and a number of varieties 

 of other families, that are abundant and common in nearly all portions of 

 the United States, while others are confined naturally to certain sections. 

 The manna grass mentioned in another chapter is specially adapted to the 

 spawning pond, and the fish eat its seeds, but it cannot compare in beauty 

 with the pond lilly. So that in stocking a pond with plants it is well to 

 keep in view, both the ornamental and the useful. The water lilly family, 

 is great in the variety, beauty and fragrance of its flowers, and perhaps no 

 other one family combines the beautiful and useful to so great an extent. 

 But tastes differ, and every culturist must select for himself. Some must 

 put up with what they can get, while others can get just what they want. 



To aid culturists in getting plants that are native to the waters nearest 

 their homes, we furnish the accompanying list taken from the Bulk-tin 

 of the United States Fish Commission: 



WATER PLANTS FOR CARP PONDS. 



By Lester F. Ward. 



The following list embraces only such plants as were named in a list 

 furnished by Mr. Rudolph Hessel, superintendent of the carp ponds. The 



