[27] UTILIZING WATER BY FISIF-CULTURE. 1127 



1.50 marks to 2 marks (35.7 cents to 47.6 cents). One summer's and two 

 summers' fish, when sold to pond-farmers, will often fetch even better 

 prices. 



It should, however, also be taken into consideration that bj^ stocking 

 lakes with carp of suitable size, which owing to their large number find 

 no room in the ponds, the revenue from the lakes may be materially in- 

 creased. Some account should also be taken of the income from the 

 grass growing along the edges of the ponds, from the mud, from the 

 willows on the dikes, and in large ponds from the reeds. Wherever the 

 ponds are numerous some of them will be planted every year and will 

 yield a rich harvest of hay or oats without any outlay for fertilizers. It 

 may therefore be considered as a matter beyond doubt, that wherever 

 the conditions are favorable for carp-culture, it should be urgently rec- 

 ommended as a most profitable industry. 



v.— CULTIVATION OF OTHER FISH. 



In ponds adapted to carp-culture, other fish, of kinds resembling the 

 carp, may be raised. As they are generally of less value than carp, 

 only inferior ponds will be used for this purpose. 



The tench ( Tinea vulgaris Ouv.) is in some localities esteemed as highly 

 as the carp. It is extremely prolific, loves calm, muddy waters, and 

 principally lives on food which it roots up from the ground. Wherever 

 it occupies a pond with carp, it will not diminish the carp-food, and may 

 therefore safely be kept in limited number in raising-ponds of the sec- 

 ond class and in growing-ponds (ponds for older fish). They may be al- 

 lowed to spawn in separate small spawning-ponds, and their young fry 

 may be profitably used for stocking shallow and muddy lakes, having 

 a good deal of vegetation, in which they will grow rapidly, frequently 

 reaching a length of 50 centimeters, and a weight of 2 to 3 kilograms. 

 To raise tench in special raising-ponds, is hardly to be recommended. 



The crucian {Carassius vulgaris Nils.) is, when it reaches a good size, 

 a fine fish, which is highly esteemed, by many people. It is exceedingly 

 frugal in its tastes, wiU flourish in the most turbid water, and even in 

 small puddles multiplies so rapidly, that the Ijsh, from want of food, do 

 not grow much longer than a finger. For utilizing muddy puddles, 

 small ponds in court-yards, marl-pits, &c., the crucian may be highly 

 recommended. By frequent fishing, the survivors reach a considerable 

 size, and the little fish which are taken out can be placed in muddy 

 lakes, and branches of rivers, where thoy will grow rapidly. In some 

 places it is customary in spring to place a few small pike in the puddles 

 swarming with crucians. By feeding on these the pike grow with ex- 

 traordinary rapidity, and their flesh becomes particularly tender and of 

 an excellent flavor. In autumn the pike should be caught, as during 

 winter they would suffocate under the ice. By the side of them the 

 thoroughly decimated crucians grow rapidly. Wherever there is a lively 



