12 



calculation, 3,500,000 pounds of carp, which, at a low ficfure, say 

 3 cents per pound, would save to the agricultural districts S105,- 

 000, and this for an expense of less than $5,000 to the State for 

 the whole time (seven years) for this branch of our work. As a 

 source of profit, outside of the supply for family consumption, a 

 number have made a business of carp culture, and utilize the in- 

 crease of their ponds by selling for stocking purposes, obtaining 

 for the young fry about $5 per Hundred. The introduction of 

 carp into our public waters presents still another pha=e of the 

 value of the fish. During the seasons of 1886 and 1887, and 1887 

 and 1888, the U, S. Fish Commission gave us carp for our public 

 waters. The trips of distribution of 1886 and 1887 were noted in 

 former reports. We give herewith a summary of our distribution 

 for season of 1887 and 1888: On November 13, 1887, car No. 2, 

 U. S. Fish Commission, in charge of Mr. George H. H. Moore, 

 arrived at Quincy with a load of carp for distribution in the pub- 

 lic waters of the State. Leaving Quincy at 5 o'clock same day, 

 on Wabash B. R., 1,500 blue carp were planted in Illinois river, 

 500 in lake at Jacksonville, 1,000 in ponds on State Encampment 

 Grounds, at Springfield. Car left Springfield at 4:30 P. M. of 

 14th, on Illinois Central R. R., planting 500 at Clinton, 111., Cen- 

 tral Reservoir, arriving at Kankakee at 4 o'clock on morning of 

 15th. Planted in Kankakee river, at Kankakee, 5,000. Left Kan- 

 kakee at 7 o'clock same morning. Ran to Centralia, where carp 

 were left for the following points: Crooked creek, 250; Clear 

 river, 250; Little Wabash river, 250; Big Muddy river, 250; OkaAv 

 river, 250. Leaving Centralia at 8:50 morning of 16th, ran to 

 Decatur, where 1,000 carp were deposited in Sangamon river. 

 Left Decatur at 4.30 P. M. on Wabash R. R. for Quincy, arriving 

 at 12 o'clock at night. Left Quincy on C, B. & Q. R. R. on morn- 

 ing of 18th. Left 250 carp in ponds of C, B. & Q. R. R. at 

 Galesburg. Arrived at Mendota at 12 o'clock, sending 1,000 carp 

 by messenger to Rock river, at Dixon, and leaving 1,000 at Men- 

 dota, for Mendota lake. Arrived at Aurora at 1:15, planted 2,000 

 in Fox river, and sent 500 by rnessenger to Naperville, for Des 

 Plaines river. Arrived at Chicago at 2:45, from there 250 carp 

 sent to Rockford, for Rock river, and 400 to Richmond, for lakes 

 in McHenry county. Car left for Washington on the night of 

 November 18. 



The transportation of car No. 2 for this trip, as indicated by 

 memoranda of trip, was furnished by Wabash, Illinois Central 

 and C. B. & Q. railroads, free of charge. As to the results of 

 such planting tliis season, it would be impossible to make any es- 

 timate as yet, but of former planting, the results have been appar- 

 ent. Carp are very frequently taken in Illinois river, of large 

 size, and in splendid condition. Along the Mississsppi river, 

 where the men were dragging the drying sloughs, etc., for native 

 fish, it has been almost a daily occurrence to take a fair propor- 

 tion of carp, varying from 1 to 15 inches in length, showing 

 conclusively that they not only grow in our river waters, but in- 



