Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1880-08-26
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n of this new

1tduCc 10 all lnidnQ COill-
untties, for there is no ditch,
n pond mill-dam or any Doggy,
muddy spot which can be con-
>fversed into a pond in which
they will not thrive. The carp
belongs to the family of the
cyprinidae, members of which
are to be found in every stream
and pond in North America.
The carp however is the king
of his tribe, and those who know
do not hesitate TO say that, rs
foolish it far exeels she best
of thcHh. They are divided into
three groups: The scale carp.
which most closely resembles
| the original form, having scales
| like ordinary flashes, and has
four thrsadshRe appendages or
barbels under the chin; the mir
ror carp has extraordinary large
scales, which run along the
side of the body in three or
four rows, the rest Of the body
being bare, and the "leather" or
naked carp which is almost
destitute OF. scales, having only
a few along the line ofthe back,
and has thick, soft skin, which
isyeivety to the touch. Both
the varieties are said to be much
superior to the scale carp,which
is best known in favor, hardness
and adaptation to confinement.
1t has been domesticated in Eu-
rope from time immortal, having
been introduced many years ago
from Central Asia or China,
where it is native. Carp soon
became tame and eat from the
hands of their keeper. DIR.
Hessel handles those in the gov
ernment ponds as if they were
| tame kittens, and says they
come to him when he whistles.
Their fecundity is great. a fish
weighing four or FIVE pounds
isSs 400, 900 or 100000 or more
tsgs, and one Of ten or fifteen
Roands. I,ooo,oo In middle.
Ekope they spawn from May
q August. and the breeding
sson appears TO be nearly the
same in Washington. The eggs
are sticky, and cling to plants
and twigs, Matching from nine
to'eighteen days, according to
temperature. The actual rate
Of increase is very great, owing
lin part, that the parents do not
deYour their young. The Iao
fish brought to Washington two
years have increased to at least
10000. 1t is thus able to pop
ulate a body of water to the
fullist extent, and, unlike the
majority of American food
fishes, their diet is largely veg
etable. By means of these
habits they are harmless to other
fishes inhabiting the same water.
The carp is adapted to very
varied climates, and will thrive
under conditions unfavorable to
any equally palatable Amer
lean fish. Ii rs very hardyin
all stages of growth. In Europe
carps are always taken to mar
ket in tanks or barrels, and if
they are not sold returned to the
water alive at the end of the day.
In cold climates they protect
themselves from freezing in win
ter by retiring in groups of SO or
100 or more into centers in the
muddy bottoms called "kettles.'
where they pass the time till
spring huddles together in con
centric circles with their heads |
together, the posterior part of
the body raised and held i'm
movable, scarcely lifting the |
gills for breathing, and without
taking particle offood. This |
abstinence and torpidity lasts
in cold countries six or even
seven months, and thus they can |
live out a very vigorous winter.
Its growth is very rapid. The |
normal weight to which the carp |
may attain in three years in Eu-
rope is an average Of three to
three and three fourths pounds.