Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-11-18
CARP FISH POND.
Propositions for the Esta bIishment Of
Carp Fish Pond in the Canal ANA
Reservoir Company's Reservoir
Close 20 the Woolen Mill.

EDITOR HERALD: When the project
was first broached of making vast
reservoir of crystal water in the great
cafion which lies directly West of the
city, proposed to one of the leading
officers of the company that / would
be glad to have the use of that reser-
voir for the purpose of introducing
some one species of fish that would be
admirably adapted to such tempera-
ture as the observed thermometrical
and barOmetrical measurements indi-
Gated. He certainly did not under
this time, would have accrued to such
an effort. | was so completely dis
missed that / could not, with self
respect, broach the subject again. But
time is great teacher; it softens down
asperities. New wants are continually
created; new luxuries appeal to our
plethoric pOcket-boOks. Our beautiful
rosy children-we think the most stall
wart and intellectual in the world
prattle to pa and ma: "Take us up to
the carp pond and let us see the beau
tiful, gentle fish,"
THE PROPER KIND OF CARP TO BE
INTRODUCED.
There was time when there was
no carp in England. This fish is now
naturalized in all the rivers of that
country. Aristotle and Pliny mention
E,,n rs,,x Aol, 20 fol I,n
bites readily at the hook, and is one of
the most fecund fish in the world. 1t
usually has G00,eG eva, and spawns
i'm May and June. In Holland
they take these fish out of the canals
and pack them in cool cellars in wet
moss, and instead of dying they grow
fat, being fed by sweet cows milk for
many months in the year. They are
the longest lived fish in the world,
having been known to live from $50
to 200 years. In England they attain
weight OF eighteen to twenty
pounds. On the continent they
have been known to reach as much rs
forty pounds. This fish was brought
to America by Henry Robinson, Of
Orange county, New York, from
France in 1882 and placed in his ponds
in that county, where they have ever
since been propagated, supplying the
tables of New York and other cities.
About the introduction of the carp into
England there is quaint but quite
good coqplet, by Sir Richard Baker
Hops and turkeys. ale and beer,
Came into England all in year.
The carp lives the longest out of the
water of any other fish. Aristotle aud
Pliny say the carp will spawn six
times year in ponds where the tenn
perature is not lower than 400. Iovius,
born at Lake Como, says he has seen
carp in Lake Lurian that. weighed
fifty pounds and were nearly three feet
long. The tongues of carps served
up in the Italian mode are q
most magnificent first dinner relish.
James Dubravius says that the carp
begins to spawn at three years old and
continues until thirty. The spawn is
laid OH flags and water cress, around
the edges Of the pond. In Italy they
sell the carp spawn to the Jews, who
manufacture it into red caviare. The
carp is either a river or a pond fish,
and is herbiverous.
HOW TO MAKE DISH OF HIM.
When taken, scour him clean, but
do not scale him. Then open him and
take out his bowels. Put his liver and
all his blood into a porcelain kettle.
Take sweet marjOram, thyme and
parsley, half handful; one sprig of
rosemary and one of savory. ClOthe
the fish with these and stuff with two
large-siZed California oranges, thinly
sliced, interspersed with twenty East
ern fresh oysters and four anchovies.
Put him in large sized bOiling-pan
and pour over him best claret wine
enough to float him, first seasoning 1t
with powdered salt, cloves, mace, rinds
of oranges and three lemon peels. Put
the lid on and set your pan over a
quick fire until it is fully done. Take
it out and pour the contents into
warm tureen, and over 1t pour quar-
ter of d pound of fresh Los Angeles
country butter, first melted i'm sepa-
rate pan, beaten into frOth with the
y0lks of three eggs and serve the fish
hot, with CucamOngo or Cliquot-best
French-and you have dish of fish
never to be forgotten.
We believe that the Canal and Res
ervoir Company can stock their pond
at almost nominal cost, land turn out
a profit to themselves and luxury to
the people of this city such as is not
now realized by the citizens of San
Francisco or any people on the Pacific
slope. Some curious person asks, "But
how do you feed this kind of fish,"
Chop him up cabbages, water cress,
young squashes, soft pumpkins and
macerated sweet potatoes. "Boiled?"
No, sir; raw.
WIN. MCPHERSON.