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9 
breed from. Our government is doing all 
in her power 10 advance fish culture. It is 
a valuable field and almost entirely unoc¬ 
cupied. It requires no capital and brings 
a large revenue. There is no doubt but 
what more money is made at fish raising 
than in raising cattle, sheep or hogs. One 
eighth of an acre devoted to German Carp 
fish will bring a clear profit of $800, the 
very lowest estimate. Is there any doubt 
of my making money on fish culture? 
There is no doubt. Do you think the gov¬ 
ernment would go to the expense of raising 
fish and shipping them to different parts of 
the United States, even giving them with¬ 
out pay to her citizens unless she was posi¬ 
tive these citizens would find it profitable 
trade to engage in? How large a pond 
must I have and what will it cost ? A pond 
fifteen or twenty feet across will cost 
nothing but a little digging. I have no 
stream on my lot, what will Ido for water? 
Carp fish do not require running water. 
They do better in still water, even in a 
swamp. They delight in mud. What 
section of the United States is best and 
most profitable for raising fish ? Any part 
will do, North, South, East or West. Kan¬ 
sas is as good a state as New York, Miss¬ 
issippi as good as Michigan. Will it not 
take a long time to get a start from twenty 
fish? No indeed, every female carp lays 
from forty to fifty thousand eggs every 
year, and increase amazingly fast and will 
increase your dollars just as fast. What 
season is best to make a pond? Right 
away. The Government will send fish 
from November 1st to March 1st. Do you 
have to feed the fish in Winter? No, dur¬ 
ing the cold months they eat nothing, but 
lie in a dormant state while sheep and cat¬ 
tle are eating their heads off. If the 
United States Government would offer to 
send a fine pair of pigs to any farmer that 
would write for them, every farmer in the 
land would send in his name. Then why 
not get some fish when they cost aothing, 
care for themselves and bring more money 
than any farm stock ? I wish every paper 
In the land would urge this matter on their 
readers, as I know they would be confer¬ 
ring a lasting benefit. 
Pittsburg , Pa. 
Carp Culture. 
BY AMOS JOHNSON. 
I will have to tell your readers a little 
about carp culture, as it will work well 
with farming and gardening for those that 
have the water privilege, and almost any 
farm in the country will afford a place for 
a small pond, as the fish do not require run¬ 
ning water. I think a pond 10x20 feet would 
furnish more fish than any one family 
could use and some to sell. 
I started a pond one year ago. I procured 
twenty young carp at our State Fishery, on 
an average two and one-half inches long, 
brought them home in a six quart tin pail 
twenty miles. A few days ago I drained 
my pond to make some repairs, expecting 
to find fish from five to six inches long; but 
you can imagine my surprise, to find them 
from twelve to fourteen inches in length, 
weighing from two to two and one-half 
pounds and regular beauties, I could not 
have believed it if they had not been there 
before my eyes. You may call this “a fish 
story,” but it is nevertheless true. Last 
June I got six from Pittsburg for breeding, 
that were from seven to eight inches long, 
which I placed in a small pond for breeding, 
I examined them and they measured from 
sixteen to eighteen inches, found some 
young ones which are three inches in length 
now. Those wishing to start ponds can 
get all the information they need, free of 
charge, by writing to the U. S. Fish 
Commissioner, Washington, D. C. He will 
also furnish blanks to be filled out so you 
can get from ten to twelve fish free. The 
government knows it is a good thing and is 
doing all in its power to help those that will 
help themselves. 
Tomatoes are now almost as much in use 
in London as in New York, and there is so 
considerable an artificial growth of mush¬ 
rooms that a good-sized basket is often to 
be had for 12 cents. 
The scent of sassafra sis said to be destruc¬ 
tive to grain weevils. A few leaves of it 
scattered through the grain bins will, it is 
claimed, destroy the weevils. 
A merry Christmas to all our readers. 
