8 9 



introduction of carp has been "that a small mill-pond 

 suffices to keep a family going, in which they are com- 

 monly fed like pigs, entirely on Indian meal or partially 

 with planted weeds." 



On the serious question of adaptation to climate Mr. 

 EarlPs experience leads him to believe that although the 

 carp may not arrive at maturity as soon, or grow to the 

 immense size in Ireland which they have arrived at already 

 in the Southern States, from the statistics of the temperature 

 the fish is that which should be adopted for our small 

 lakes and ponds, natural or artificial, essentially to be so 

 planted for the benefit of those who can command ever so 

 small an area of the liquid element. I have been irritated by 

 the remarks of rotund friends on the coarseness of this fish 

 ridiculous as proceeding from men who revel in " congor " 

 under the name of" turtle," and libellous on the populations 

 of a vast portion of the Continent of Europe for generations, 

 as well as casting a slur on the palates of our western 

 cousins. But in truth certain fishes are fashions in various 

 countries. The eel in Scotland (says his Grace of Argyll) 

 is avoided as if it were a descendant of Eve's tempter; 

 and in the Southern States (records a Yankee friend) a man 

 who eats eels is tabooed, and to present one dressed in any 

 detectable guise to a guest hazards a pill served in a 

 " Derringer " as a digester for the host. Every fish (as the 

 able Japanese who took part in the Conference stated) has its 

 sauce, and I have yet to believe that the poor, half-famished 

 family working, mayhap, till dawn in the struggle for 

 existence and liberty outside the workhouse, preferred to 

 satiety within would turn aside from any wholesome and 

 nourishing diet to which they would bring the relishing 

 dressing of hunger. Shad for our rivers and white fish for our 



