REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXVII 

 Washington Carp Ponds. 



The demand for German carp continues from many States, and much 

 interest is manifested in this species. Dr. R. Hessel is in immediate 

 charge of the ponds, which have been under his care for a number of 

 years. The surface area of the series of ponds amounted to a total of 

 23.50 acres. 



The east pond, known as Babcock's Lake, was filled in, in order to 

 strengthen the foundations of the Washington Monument, work being 

 commenced on it about April 1, 1888. By the tilling of this pond the 

 Commission suffered a loss of 6J acres of the above water area, which 

 necessitated the construction of a new pond, and it was determined to 

 establish it near the office on the north side of B street, where there 

 was already a pool, requiring but little excavation, except what was 

 needed to remove a dense growth of vegetation. A 12-inch valve was 

 placed in position to regulate the inflow of water which comes from the 

 foot of Observatory Hill. This pond has a surface area of about 3 acres. 



In October, 1887, the regular drawing off of the ponds began, and by 

 December 31 the product of the several ponds was ascertained to be 

 235,G87 German carp, G,100 Japanese goldfish, and 1,500 tench. 



About June 10 Superintendent Hessel had artificial spawning beds 

 prepared for the carp in small ponds, and the ova, after the fish had 

 deposited them, were transferred to large tanks, the result of which 

 was the production of G00,000 fry. Five hundred thousand of these 

 were shipped to the Wytheville, Virginia, Station, and 100,000 were 

 liberated in Aquia Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River. 



About the 1st of May, 1888, a large number of shad fry were trans- 

 ferred from Central Station to the West Pond, which is connected with 

 the Potomac, and separated from it by a Watergate, where they would 

 not be disturbed by other fish or destructive animals during the natural 

 period of their river life. It was ascertained by observation and by 

 measurement that the young shad grew rapidly until towards the mid- 

 dle of August, when the growth was noticed to be slower; a mouth 

 later it almost ceased, and from that time on no growth at all was ob- 

 served. 



On October 27 the sluice of the pond containing the fish was opened 

 and about 800,000 young shad, which had attained a growth of from 2J 

 to 3 inches in a pond of 6| acres, were liberated and started on their 

 way to the sea. 



Central Station, Washington, D. C. 



The work of this station is more general in its nature than that of any 

 other station of the Commission. It includes the hatching of the eggs 

 of Salmonidw, including whitefish, intended for eastern waters ; the dis- 

 tribution of fishes of the carp family, bred at the carp ponds, near the 

 Washington Monument, and of fishes of the Mississippi Valley, trans- 

 ferred to eastern waters. 



