XCI 

 GROWTH OF CARP I^N^ VIRGINIA. 



Gordons viLLE, Ya., February 4, 1881. 

 Col. M. McDonald, 



Commissioner of Fisheries for the State of Virginia. 

 Dear Sir : — 



The seventeen Carp which you gave me in the fall of 

 1879 are doing remarkably well. In October last I 

 caught four of them to see what growth they had made. 

 They weighed from two and three-quarters to nearly 

 four pounds. The largest one only lacked about two or 

 three ounce^s of weighing four pounds. I am satisfied 

 that they are just the fish for the waters of Virginia, and 

 am sure they are the only fish suited to our ponds. 

 General Field put 25 Carp in my pond some time since, 

 which I understand were intended for my brother who 

 has lately built a very nice pond. I was not at home at 

 the time and suppose General Field thought they were 

 intended for me. I take great interest in the fish- cul- 

 ture, and am satisfied you are doing a very great good 

 by distributing the young fish in the waters of Virginia. 

 Wishing you great success and thanking you for your 

 kindness, I am, yours, very truly, 



H. C. BAKER. 



Mt. Morris,* Greene Co., Fa., Feb. 15, 1881. 



Professor Spencer F. Baird. 

 Dear Sir : — 



It will doubtless give you pleasure to learn that the ten 

 Mirror Carp I got of you the first of last June are doing 

 finely and their growth is wonderful. When I received 

 them, they were from four to five inches in length, and 

 when last seen I believe them to be fifteen to eighteen 

 inches long. I failed to learn the sex when I was at 

 Washington. I received your order late last fall for 

 some fish at Pittsburg. At that time I was very low 

 with imfiammatory rheumatism, and failed to get them. 

 I want to construct another pond of one acre, provided I 



