The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-11
Fish Culture-what IL Doing In wes
virginia,


Virginia.
Mr.. H. B. Miller, of this city, one Of the
Fish Commissioners OF this State, whose
duty it is to procure and distribute sup.
plies OF various kinds Of desirable fish to
the waters OF the territory comprised in
this Congressional District, informs US
that he has recently received from Prof
Baird, at Washington, some specimens OF
the German carp fish, which he has sent
to the hatchery at Romney for propaga.
ton. These carp are considered very
desirable fish, and we notice that Mr.. T.
B. Ferguson, Of Maryland, the Commits
sioner OF that State, reports great success
in breeding them, He says that the
growth OF the fish is much more rapid
than in the best fish ponds in Europe.
The Secretary Of the Smithsonian Insti.
tutio, in a letter to the Hon. James B.
Beck, OF Kentucky, gives the most inter.
esting details in regard to this fish. Prof.
Baird says:
II have great faith in the future Of this
new fish, and am quite well satisfied that
within ten years it will constitute a very
prominent element in the food animals OF
the country. Although scarcely known
in the United States, and but little more
as an article OF extended application in
England and France, it is in Germany and
Austria that it is cultivated in the highest
degree, so as 10 constitute notable arti-
Gle OF market supply. The Ger
man carpis emphatically farmers fish
and may safely be claimed to be among
fishes what chickens are among birds and
pigs and rumiuants are among animals,
It's special merit lies in the fact OF itsslug.
gishness and the ease with which it is kept
in very limited Enclosures, it being vege.-
table feeder, and its general inofIensive.
ness. Whereas trout and black bass
require supply OF animal food
for their sustenanCe and growth, the
carp, while not disdaining flies,
worms, larvR, &c, lives on the succulent
roots and leaves Of aquatic plants, their
seeds fallen into the water, and other SINH.
lar substances, and may fed be very readily
upon corn, grain, bread, root crops, raw or
boiled; and, indeed, any vegetable refuse
whatever. Its rate:of groath, too, is some
what marvellous, and as observed SO far in
the specimens introduced into the United
States being even more remarkable here
than in Europe. Among the original fish
imported by US from Europe, and which
are now only about 81 years old, are some
from 20 to 80 inches in length, weighing
from four to eight or nine pounds.
As to the temperature of the water, Prof.
Bard writes: mo waters have proved too
warm for them"
Prof.. Atwater, Of the Wesleyan Univer-
sity, under the auspices Of the United
States Fish Commission, will shortly com.
mcnce very thorough series Of researches
on the food-giving qualities Of the various
edible fish, and Mr.. E. G. Blackford, the
New York State Fish Commissioner, will
contribute the raw material, indicating
very exactly the locality where the fish
were caught, with other details. Indiyid.
ual fish have been before studied as to
their economic value, but nothing OF a
general character has ever yet been at
tempted with the idea of a comparison. 1t
is to be hoped that many valuable facts
will be made known when the results of
this examination Of fish will be read at the
next meeting OF the American Fish Gull
ture Association.