IMS I KE RURAL KEWAfOKKEK, §35 
" 1 
Pisciculture. 
THE CARP AND ITS CULTURE. 
From time to time short articles hare ap¬ 
peared in various papers, agricultural and 
others, on the European or German carp, 
but none that ever I have seen or heard of, 
has ever given the reader a fair idea of this 
fish, its great merits and general adaptability 
to the climate of America, especially of the 
Southern and Southwestern States. 
THE RACES OF CARP. 
Caii) are divided into three varieties:—1, the 
Scale or true carp; 2, the Mirror Carp; 3, the 
Leather Carp. In Germany the Scale Carp is 
principally raised and preferred as being the 
best flavored, though really'all are excellent. 
The Scale Carp is, in my opinion, however, 
the only true carp, aud the other two are 
hybrids of some other fish and the Scale Carp. 
In some of the rivers of Kentucky and other 
States, there is a small, bony and almost 
worthless fish sold by fishermeu in the mar¬ 
kets under the name of carp, but it has very 
little resemblance to the true carp. 
CARP CULTURE IN EUROPE 
had its beginning in the thirteenth century, 
and may be traced back to the year 1227, and 
the fish is said to have come originally from 
Asia. In 1307 the Lords of Rosenberg com¬ 
menced establishments which were maintain¬ 
ed for centuries near Whittingau, in Bohemia, 
Germany, so extensive that they are admired 
by visitors to the present day. The main 
parts are still there, while the race of the 
Roseubergs has long been extinct. The estate 
of Whittiugau is uow owned by the Princes of 
Schwarzenberg, who came in possession in 1070, 
and whose artificial ponds now cover an area 
of not less tbau 20,000 acres, the proceeds of 
which are about 500,000 pounds of carp per 
annum, without feeding. There are other 
establishments in Germany, though not so 
extensive as those of the Princes of Schwar¬ 
zenberg, whose ponds are probably the largest 
on the globe. They possess more than 250 
ponds, none less than about 10 acres, the larg¬ 
est being about 2,000 acres. The next largest 
ponds are in the Provinces of Silesia and 
Brandenburg, near Breslau aud Cottbus, In 
Peitz aud Pleitz In Hesse Cassel, Hanover, 
Oldeuburg. Mecklenburg and Holstein are 
also many hundreds of ponds ; but none of 
them cover more thau a few acres. Almost 
every large farm, however, has at least 
one pond, and in some villages ponds are kept 
up at public expense, covering from 60 to 200 
acres, or more. 
GROWTH AND FECUNDITY OF THE CARP. 
Carp will grow very rapidly; in fact, there 
is no fish that can compare with it in thi 3 
respect. In latitude 40° uorth under very 
common culture, they will attain to the 
weight of between 2% to 3.^ pounds iu 18 
mouths, that is in two Summers and one 
Winter. They may do even better in a warm 
year, or where there are only a few fish in the 
pond. The length will be about 16 to 20 
inches. In the Western States, however, 
where the water is begiuuing to get warm 
early in the seasou and keeps so until late, the 
carp make even a larger growth. As they 
require warmer water thau almost any other 
fish, their growth varies as they iubabit cold 
or warm water, pond, river or lake, find 
plenty of food or are fed. 
Another important consideration is the 
quality of the soil on the bottom of the pond 
—whether muddy or stony. In cold water 
or such us has a stony bottom, carp will 
not do as well as in ponds which have a 
muddy bottom and warm water; hence ac¬ 
counts differ materially as to the size attained 
in a given time. I have said the growth is 
about 16 to20 inches iu length, aud about 2% 
to 33/pounds in weight in latitude 10; but 
the further south, the better the conditions. 
A Kentucky {taper says: “Just two years 
ago we were iu Nashville, aud the Fish Com¬ 
missioner, Col. George F. Akers, exhibited to 
us a few specimens of German Carp minnows; 
the infants were aboutau iuoh-und-a-balf long. 
A few days ago we were complimented with 
oue of the same brood for our Christmas 
dinner, weighing six pounds. For richness, 
aroma and delicacy of flavor, there is no fish 
iu the world that cau surpass it. Having seen 
the statement of an epicuro somewhere that 
its chief excellence was in a boil or bake, we 
concluded to test its virtue in another ele¬ 
ment, and put it to the pan lest; we have seen 
nothing that cun surpass it as a pan fish.” 
Iu the uorth of Europe, as iu Sweden, the 
growth of carp is less than iu the south of 
Europe, as, for instance, iu Illyria, Dalmatia, 
southern Spain, southern Italy, and partly 
in southern France. 
THE GREAT SIZE 
to which carp attain is demonstrated by the 
fact that in southern Europe, in the.lowlands of 
Hungary, Servia, Croatia, Wallachia, Molda¬ 
via, and Buckswina, carp are found which 
weigh from 30 to 40 pounds, measuring nearly 
3% feet in length by 2% feet in circumference. 
Reliable old men, whose word could not be 
doubted, have given accounts of carp caught 
in former years, which they had seen 
themselves, that weighed from 50 to 60 pounds. 
During the Crimean War, in 1853, a French 
engineer oflicer, stationed at Weddin on the 
Danube, in Turkey, killed a large carp by a 
bullet shot, which weighed 67 pounds. The 
scales of this fish measured in diameter 2X 
inches. Their structure indicated to a cer¬ 
tainty that the age of the fish could not be 
more than 24 years at the most. A chronicle 
of the monastery of Mulk, in Austria, refers 
to a carp weighing 78 pounds, which bad been 
captured on Ascension Day in 1520. Another 
record speaks of a carp which had been taken 
early in the present century in the Lake of 
Zug, in Switzerland, which weighed 00 pounds. 
The age to which this fish attains is also re¬ 
markable, as specimens are to be found in 
Austria over 140 years old. 
TABLE QUALITIES. 
In the report of the Commissioner of Fish 
and Fisheries, Prof. Spencer F. Baird speaks 
of it as follows: “If the carp were a flsh of 
inferior quality, like the Buffalo Fi 3 h, for in¬ 
stance. its sale would doubtless be limited to 
the seaport towns of Northern Germany and 
the principal cities of Central Europe, as 
Vienna, Berlin and Paris. In the latter city, 
in spite of the abundant supply of salt-water 
and different kinds of fresh-water fi»b, the 
carp is ever preferred to these, and, with the 
exception of trout and salmon, it frequently 
commands a price three times as high a 3 that 
of any of the rest. I maintain my assertion, 
that the carp, whether it be Scale, Mirror or 
Leather Carp, is one of the most excellent 
fresh-water fishes, and its introduction will be 
of great value in point of national economy, 
especially on account of the facility of its cul¬ 
ture and the enormous extent to which this 
may be carried on.” 
IMPORTATION INTO CALIFORNIA. 
Mr. Poppe, the introducer of this flsh into 
California, resided in Sonoma in that State, 
where his son is carrying on the business now, 
his father having died a few years ago. In 
the beginning of May 1872, Mr. Poppe started 
from Hamburg, Germany, on a steamer with 
83 carp of all sizes, from over two feet (of 
which he had three) down to one-aud one-half 
inch. Owing to the insufficiency of fresh 
water, the three tin vessels each of 23 gallons’ 
capacity, were so arranged one over the other 
that the water ran over from the first, or top, 
to the second, and from the second to third, 
when it had to be dipped back iuto the first. 
This was done by Mr. Poppe day and night 
during the whole voyage. But on account of 
the water getting too hot, 63 of the fish died 
on the voyage, the largest being the first to 
succumb. On arriving at New York the 
vessel was quarantined for two days, and 12 
more fish died; thus only eight were left. Im¬ 
mediately on landiug Mr. Poppe placed them 
in a pond where they were left for three days 
to recuperate. In the meantime, Mr. Poppe 
made arrangements for a quick and uninter¬ 
rupted transportation to San Francisco. In 
seven days the fish arrived there; not one had 
died on this journey of over 3,000 miles, but 
two died on the sloop going from San Francis¬ 
co to Sonoma,where the almost dead carp were 
immediately placed in one of bis ponds, but, 
while putting them in the pond, one more 
died. This was in August 1872, and had the 
journey lasted but a few days longer, all the 
fish would have been dead, and the first at 
tempt to stock California would have been an 
entire failure. As it was, however, from the 
first five small, puny and half-dead fish, carp 
are now disseminated all over the State with 
fine results to those w ho have properly cared for 
them. This experience, in addition to show¬ 
ing the marvelous fecundity of the fish, shows 
also their great tenacity of life, as no other 
fish could have endured the journey of 6,000 
miles by land and water under the circum¬ 
stances. How rapidly they grow in this State 
is best shown by the fact that, these small fish 
had attained 16 inches in length by next May, 
and there were also over 3,000 young flsh in 
the pond. Hazardous as the undertaking was, 
it has paid. Mr. Poppe sold his young carp 
of the largest size for $5.00 apiece, and has 
shipped carp to the Sandwich Islands and 
Ceutral America. 
As to their fecundity, the best informed 
breeders and scientists estimate the number of 
young fishes to onespiwner as not over 800 
to 1,000. In stocking ponds, three females 
are apportioned to two males, but it is hard 
to say what is the most desirable number of 
milters and spawuers, as the views on this 
subject differ widely In Europe; the above, 
however, is generally taken to be correct and 
is accepted by all extensive establishments. 
The above result would have been much more 
favorable if the old rule, now unfortunately 
almost forgotten, had bsen observed—to feed 
the carp which are in the spawning ponds, 
shortly before and during the season of 
spawning, so as to prevent the need of their 
searching for food, which generally leads 
them to eat their own eggs. This useful rale, 
formerly much practiced in Europe, has un¬ 
fortunately fallen into disuse, probably be¬ 
cause carp naturally increase very fast. 
PONDS IN GENERAL. 
In constructing a carp pond properly the 
following points should be considered: 
1st. Is there a sufficient quantity of water 
for all purposes for the Summer as well as for 
Winter? 21: Are the soil and water favor¬ 
able for carp culture? Not every kind of soil 
is suitable for carp culture: for instance, such 
as contains too much alkali or iron is not 
suitable. If points 1 and 2 are satisfactory, 
the ground should also be of such nature 
as not to allow the collected water to per¬ 
colate through it, especially if the supply 
is limited. Small ponds may be rendered 
“water-proof” by applying a layer of clay on 
the sides and bottom, or by making them in 
ground which contains sojne humus, or dis¬ 
solved peat—too much is injurious. This sort 
of soil when dissolved imparts to the water a 
yellow, muddy color, and this is of the great¬ 
est advantage for fish culture, as water so 
colored contains ingredients to support an 
immense number of microscopic beings which 
again form the support of a larger class of 
creatures, on which, in turn, the carp depend 
for their sustenance. The most favorable water 
will always be that which comes from rivers 
and brooks, as water from bogs will impart a 
moldy taste to the fish, and this causes many 
to undervalue the high quality of carp when 
properly reared. In Europe experience has 
shown that water coming from fertile fields 
and meadows,carrying with it particles of offal 
from villages, is best adapted for carp culture. 
Spring water direct from the ground is not 
so favorable, and ought to be conducted for 
at least a few hundred yards through shallow 
ditches in order to receive more nourishing 
components from the air as well as the earth, 
and, above all, to be warmed to some extent 
by the sun and warm air. 
CONSTRUCTION OF PONDS. 
Carp ponds must not be too deep, as the 
water in deep ponds is colder than that in 
those that are shallower, and harbor fewer in¬ 
sects, which form part of the carp’s food; 
moreover, this flsh does not grow as rapidly in 
cold water. A depth of three feet iu the cen¬ 
ter of the pond is sufficient; toward the outlet 
sluice, or rather at the gate, there must be 
what is called a “collector,” a place for the 
fish to collect when the pond is drained. It 
may be from six to eight feet deep, but only 
for an area of from 200 to 1000 square feet, 
according to the size of the pond. In the 
depth of this “collector” the fishes seek their 
resting-place for the Winter, and also in Sum¬ 
mer, when the water is too warm near the 
edges. The outer parts of the pond should 
not be deeper than one foot for the distance 
of 70 to 100 feet, so that the water there may 
be warmed more thoroughly by the sun. 
As the “collector” is not enough, another 
cavity, termed a “kettle,” must be dug, to 
serve also for a resting-place in Summer aud 
Winter, especially if there is a large number 
in the pond. This depression must be towards 
the center of the pond, aud should be 
from 20 to 50 feet in diameter, according 
to the size of the pond, aud deep enough 
so that the fish in it will not be frozen in 
the coldest Winter. From the entrance of 
the pond to the other end where the “collector” 
and the “outlet sluice” are situated, a ditch 
should be cut running through the “kettle” to 
the “collector.' 1 Bear in tuiud, however, that 
the “kettle” must be no deeper than the “col¬ 
lector.” The inflow of water into the pond 
should never be direct, for if it were, then a 
sudden rush of waters, due to heavy rains or 
other causes, would destroy the entire pond 
and sweep away the fish, which happened here 
a few years ago owing to a "clotid burst.” The 
carp also likes to swim towards the inflowing 
water aud is drawn away from its feeding 
places. The water should always be conduct¬ 
ed into the pond sideways from the stream, if 
possible. It is indispensable, according to 
established rules, that the pond should be 
capable of being thoroughly drained down to 
within a few inches of the bottom of the “col¬ 
lector.” I myself prefer to drain a pond to 
the very bottom: by placing a small loose 
board on the iuside of the outlet sluice, you 
cau keep back as much water as you want. 
The outlet sluice must be about six inches 
square “in the clear,” widening a little to the 
outside, so that if any obstruction should get 
in, the sluice would not choke; or if a fish got 
in it would not be injured: for If ever the 
fish loses scales in any way, it will die, but 
this can be avoided by using a strainer box. 
THE DAM OR LEVEE. 
must be constructed of material that will not 
permit the water to ooze or drain through. A 
mixture of clay and soil is about the best; for 
if the dam were made entirely of clay, it 
would, in the heat of Summer, dry out too 
much and becc/tne full of fissures on the side 
most exposed to the sun, and through these 
the water would escape. The foundation of 
the dam should be dug out two feet deep and 
at least five feet wide and filled with the above 
material, which may be thrown broadcast 
when above the bottom of the pond, and 
tamped or pounded down. 
THE OUTLET. 
The outlet pipe,or sluice.is a very important 
feature of a good pond. It is a pleasure, if 
not a profit, to have this part*‘just right,” so 
that one can regulate the outflow of water 
with ease and certainty, and, when desired, 
the last drop can be drawn off. A six-inch 
iron pipe is preferable if a stop-gate can be 
procured; if not, a sluice must answer, but it 
is not as durable. Willow, alder, cottonwood 
or other trees that grow near water, must be 
kept entirely away; the more so as shade is 
not desirable about a carp pond. The willow 
and other water-loving frees have such very 
fine fibrous roots that they will penetrate even 
through very close joints, and eventually 
close a wooden outlet or sluice. If there is 
not a strainer box on the inside, construct a 
small “collector” on the outside of the pond so 
that if any flsh get through the sluice, they 
will not escape. j. h. volckmer. 
Kern Co., Cal. 
farm Copies. 
FARMERS AND THE WHEAT CROP. 
G. F. THOMPSON. 
Observation teaches that the man who 
keeps best posted on matters pertaining to his 
business is the one who succeeds best. Further 
observation teaches that the farmer—the man 
who conducts the business that constitutes the 
basis of all other business—is not the man 
who keeps best posted. I speak of farmers in 
general. The present condition of the wheat 
crop iu Kansas renews this thought . I remem¬ 
ber quite distinctly that farmers were told 
last year that the wheat crop was but about 
an average one, and that it wouldn’t do at all 
to count upon a surplus: but when the wheat 
was thrashed, we found about 8,000,000 
bushels more than an average crop. Then the 
farmers were told that the whole country was 
flooded with wheat; all warehouses in the 
markets were full, and the market was liable 
to be glutted—well, nobody knew how long. 
They were urged to sell their wheat at 40 and 
45 cents per bushel, fearing that the price 
would, on account of the over production, 
continue to fall. 
This year they are told that the wheat crop 
is almost a failure. Secretary Chamberlain, 
of Ohio, I notice, claims only 11,000.000 of 
bushels for us. It would not surprise some of 
us if the yield were double that amount. The 
hard Winter. Hessian fly, wire-worm and 
chinch-bug have done immense damage to our 
wheat; but I believe the farmers have done 
themselves more damage than all these. They 
have done so in different ways. One serious 
mistake is careless estimating of the yield. 
Grain buyers are always on the alert to take 
advantage of the unsuspecting farmer; and 
when the farmer himself does not know about 
the amount he is to harvest, he is not bard to 
fleece by the buyer. The farmer too often 
judges the yield by the stand or the hight or 
the length of the head, or the number of 
grains in the mesh; but the only safe way to 
approximate the yield is to consider all these 
together with the size of the kernel. In my 
judgment, it is regarding this last item that 
Kansas farmers have made their greatest mis¬ 
take this year. 
The farmer should watch the production 
and consumption of farm products just as 
closely as the banker looks after the money 
market. Few farmers can be flattering suc¬ 
cesses if they are ignorant of the operations of 
the outside world. 
The multiplication of industries, and the 
progress of agricultural science demand of the 
farmer more care, 
Ag. Coll., Manhattan, Kans. 
AS TO CRIMSON CLOVER. 
Crimson Clover starts very late and slowly 
in Spring with us, and does uot live over; or 
in other words, it behaves like an annual, Mr. 
H. in a late Rural, says everybody knows it 
is an annual, and then says that, if sown late, 
it lives part of two years. That is the way I 
understand him. He wauts to know when it 
seeds. In this place, I have beeu able to get 
only a very few seeds in some years from one 
or two of the earliest plants. Mauy of them did 
not get along far enough to flower before the 
frosts of September struck them. In some 
seasons, it barely began to flower a little be- 
