Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-28
Fish Culture.
PROPAGATION OF CARP,

In May last THE STAR gave an account of an
interesting experiment then in progress By M.
Elliott Jones, chief clerk of the U. S. arsenal, In
this city, OF propagating the German carp. As
stated at that time. the pond used for this pur-
pose had been constructed by direction of the
commandment of this post with the view of saw
Ing Ice for the use of the officers and employees
subsequently abandoned. Mr.. Jones took pos
session OF ii for carp raising mainly as a M alter
OF experiment or paStime. He procured from
Prot. Baird. CT the Smithsonian Institution.
who had about this time imported them direct
from Austria, twenty OF these young fish, then
three or four inches In length, and put
them INTO this pond which he had
a small supply pipe connecting the lake with
the Waterman which passes down AZ street
direct 70 the Arsenal building within a conven-
size, is located In the eastern part OF the enclo.
sure, near the outlet OF James Creek canal into
when the overflow is drained In form 1t is an
obloDg square about three feet deep and with a
muddy bottom. The small stream OF fresh
water supplied through the pipe is mainly to
supply the waste from evaporation and prevent
better In quiet: turbid pools with grassy banks
and muddy bottom. They feed on the larva of
Insects and vegetable matter, and need
no other food where vegetable matter is
where they are propagated it Is found
advantageous to drain off the water once or
twice year for the purpose Of cleaning Gu a1y
debris which may accumulate, also the Catfish
and cells which oftep get into the pool and pre-
upon the young carp but when they become
year or two cid they can look out for them
selves and require less attention. When Mt.
Jones put these twenty carp 10 his lake In May,
1870, they were but few inches in length AMI
their average weight about three or four
ounces, and when he drained Of his pond about
enc year ago their weight ranged from two to
four pounds each. He also fouTd that they had
incTtased In numbers very rapidly, and several
hundred OF the young fish were sent to Prof
Band at that time 10 be by him distributed
through the country to applicants or retained
b. him for propagating purposes in his pools at
the MONUMENT lot. The twenty imported flsn
were retained by MI Jones. together with q
number OF the young: During the past summer
he has frequently fed them on tender vegeta-
bles, such as lettuce, asparagus, cabbage and
occasionally With stale bread.
DRAINING THE LAKE.
The process OF again draining of his lake
took place last Saturday for the first time
within year, when he found much larger in
crease than he had expected. both in numbers
OF young fish and in size OF the older ones. The
work Of taking them out into wooden watts,
filled with water, was Immediately commercial
in order to free the lake OF any game fish or
cells, and for the purpose OF making some i'm
&c. The pond is considerably deeper at one
point near the shore, where the fish all con-
gregate during the draining process, and a dip
net is used In removing them to the watts.
sorted as to size and placed into tin Or copper
cans, filled with water, and sent TO Professor
Baird: Upwards Of 6,0OO young carp were put
into these cans-one hundred 10 each-and can
De sent almost anywhere. MI. Jones sti. re-
tains the imported ones, some OF which nov
measure eighteen inches, or two feet In length,
This year, MeGh drafting SS or sf 6s found PGa a
eels were present, and buttwo catfish. The reason
Ior this he cannot TELL but thinks the larger carp
may ma nave driven them away If any appeared
me Int1r
now employed In the Improvement of his lake,
ana making an annex, &c, enlarglng the ca.
panty VI Ills WORKS Tor further operations.
VARIETIES OF CARP
. 1here are three kinds or varieties In this lake.
aug scaie, mlfror AID the leather carp. The
nioC-naiileu are the most numerous: they ara
resen1 WIN scales and when year or two old
assenloie somewhat the mullet In appearance
c rney are rather tender, and require more
ceiva Wo,, naa1oiing. as they are apt to re-
scales scale Wt "pn as especially in having their
e eihiesoies lnen The mirror variety has a
slngle. and sometimes double row az hrIpht
the tsf Iunntpg on both sides from the head 10
Sme oai ara the leather variety, without any
eoa.es AT al, having soft smooth skin like =
the Sna' Hf Dr9ok trout; otherwise they are like
of ore a se at, ana mirror varieties and, like them
az Pleieraole because they are more hardv a NJ
VIII pear more handling without injury rh.u
a ae qa and tame ana VIII consent to being han
remain Tor some time out Of water Wipho, III
apparent injury They are excellent az . rood
nsn, tnelr meat In season being white. f1rm ana
| OF line flavor: Mr. Jones Will continIe he al" d,
tention In this direction the next year and wiz; a.
increased facilities. Farmers and others VII
have room TO spare for an artificial pond can
very easily propagate and ras, them WITH 49,
little trouble; and, aside from the niaasurSs
attending the management of them they maj
excellent 1000 and through the instrumentalisv
be long before their culture will be nmite pn no'
| eral throughout the interior portions of tho
country where lakes and rivers are infren ne eI
| and fresh fish scarce. " "0ht