Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-17
CARP CUETUR e.
An Interesting 0pcrasion-Gne sEan.
dFsd Thousand Young Fish RE

moved.
TIE interesting process of drawing OF the
water from the Babcock lake aad smaller carp
ponds In toe Monument let, took place Mon
day, uEd der the superintendent o; Major T. B.
Ferguson, deputy U. s. fi,a commissioner. and
a score OF assistants. their work occupying the
eIufe day. These pond, We're stocked with
few hundred breeding carp last spring. aud all
have since that time been under the imme Hate
care and management OF Or. E. X. Hessel sl-
rerlnteDdent OF the ponds. DR.. II. is veteran
at this business having devoted the greater
portion OF bis life at carp raising ia Germany
and was induced to come 10 this country three
years since by Prof. Baird to take charge OF the
government carp ponds.
CARP PARADISE.
TIE BabcccK lake Is particularly well adapted
for the successful propagation OF carp it being
shoa|, quiet, with muddy bottom, and sur
rounded with iuXuri&nt turf Of grass, which
reaches down TO- and for some distance into the
water, thus being accessible TO the carp. whicl
feed upon the roots. The spawning time for
these fish Is 10 May and June Beds OF gravel
and earth were formed. extending from the
shores gradually into the lake. the water just
covering them, and where the grass roots IVu
The eggs OF the carp are deposited am ing this
grass. covering the leaves, which ar, SUB
merged In the water. After the process OF
spawning is over workmen are employed TO
fence In these beds with boards set On edge, to
keep the schools OF carp from disturbing the
eggs for few weeks until the young FISH are
the boards are removed and the young fish
turned loose among the others to shift for them
selves. Thus far no artificial means have Oeen
resorted to for Matching, and from the gre 1t
success attained this year In these poadS, it
would seem that the natural way, as described
Is all that Is necessary
HOW TIE PONDS WE'RE DRAINED.
Monday was selected for draining off these
ponds. 1t being pleasant and warm and advan-
tsge was taken Of the lew TIDE 10 the morning.
StTaiIers were fixed In locks near tbs roadway
or dfr whit afN -,
from the other ponds and the WAFER drained
into the street sewer, leaving the fis1 In the
deep pool at the locks, not one escaping into the
sewer.
HOW THE FISH WERE REMOVED
For the purpose of reducing the poi cont ain
Ing the fish. small portable steam force pump
was used, until the water was OF the desired
depth for Use OF small hand nets, which were
ustd in removing them into the close pools OF
brick masonry on the small island west OF the
roadway. This was done with large metallic
haDdles so that the laborers employed could
EASILY carry and handle them when filled with
water and the young fish, Although fair
degree Of success was anticipated for this sea
sons laboIs, yet no positive knowledge was OBJ
tanned as to the enormous numbers Of young
fish Matched, and In rapid state OF healthy
growth, until these ponds We're run off Mon
day. The number cannot be definitely stated.
but it Is estimated that not less than
101,000 YOUNG CARP
Were removed from these lakes TO the pools and
with the exception of the breeders pat In last
spring they appear to be nearly all OF a uniform
size, about SIX incaes in length. Massed TO-
gether In these close pools. they present Very
Lively appearance. Here they will BE- assorted
as 10 size and the breeding fish separated and
Kept In pond by themselves undi the ponds
are reflied with water, when they will be dis
uibuted in them. The fish commission will
commence at once distributing these young
carp all over the United States to I'LL orders
which are constantly being received by Prof.
Baird.
HOW THE YOUNG FISH ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH
The COUNTRY.
Tie work OF sending them away Is all under
the general superinfendence OF Major Ferguson
who has four travelling agents 10 accompany
tie cOnsignments TO the different state fish
commissions and individuals who apply for
them direct to Professor Baird. These travel
ling agents are Messrs. j. F. Ellis, Newton Sim
mons, g. q. Davenport and C. w. shermaa.
The fish are shipped In tin cans made for the
purpose. The cans used at first were shaped
Ike an ordinary milk can. each holding ab1ug
suggested to Major Ferguson that tie neck o.
opening was too narrow, and he has devised
another, which Will hereafter be substituted.
ply OF making the inside diameter the same
from the bottom to the top, and b. an inge-
NOUS device around the rim, the top,
G S reTv Parry OF gpt5a peroaa ca1
hermeticany sealed The wide mouth
CT the can also affords more room 10 the use OF
the hand-net, by which they are taken OUT al
ease when desired. Last year ea2n Individual
applicant was supplied with sixteen fish. but
the yield being SO much larger this year, twenty
viii be the number instead. MI. Ellis has Just
returned from Memphis, Tenn. where ne &C.
.tvered COO fish, about one-half OF which went
10 the state fish commission and the others 20
private parties who ordered them. The rule to
De hereafter adopted Is that those states wnich
nave established fish commissions Will be ex-
pected TO send TO this city for the Fl sh required
OF Them for distribution.
HE STATES WHICH HAVE THCs FAR BEEN SUP
are NeW York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio.
tpa1il&Dy) Missouri. Minnesota Wisconsin
Michigan, Connecticut, Tennessee an1 Georgia
LAST Year ,2UU were sent TO Texas. The young
fl7D sent were about six inches long and
Prof. B5ffd las Information that at the recent
state agricultural fair where these carp were
exh1Dlted they weighed from one to three and a
bali POUNDS each. During fifty days last year
MI. Ellis travelled about 1850 miles and deliY-
cred GOO carp, mostly In lots of 16 each taking
tLtCelpeS III eacn case; which are always required
oy Pfo1. BAIRD, giving name and locality OF
which record Is kept in Prof. Baird's Office Ia
order that correspondence may be held when
oeslraoe fOr MIN TO learn as to success or other
wise OF Toe trlai. The commission are now fill
Ing orders to state commissions mostly. Nearly
all the states have established commissions
ana general . interest seems to have been awak-
ened IN this Industry all over the country since
PreI. BAIRD mas fDaugurated his system.
TRANSPORTATION OF THE CARP
very much credit Is due TO the different rail-
road companies throughout the United states
all OF whom have united In Transporting tbs,
hsh from this city free of freight TO their 1esti-
nation, the only requirement being that the
agent or others accompanying the cans shall
pay fare for themselves. the companies taking
no responsibility as 10 accident which NAV
befaH the fish. The cans, containing 100 fish
each, are placed in freight cars and the fish left
at the nearest point TO the applicants who in all
cases are Notified and required to be On the spot
at the time named. with vessel OF proper SIZE
10 receive The fish and take them TO The pools
prepared for them. Last year the total number
OF carp distributed by Prof. Baird was about
$S0. zee.
lHE SOUTH MORE FAVORABLE FOR THE FISH THAN
THE NORTH.
ms season q much larger number will be
sent away. Most fattering reports have bean
received from persons supplied last year. Prot
BAIRD states that the best success Is in the more
southern states, where the climate IS warmer
and natural food abundant all the year round
In colder sections, where the lakes and ponds
are froZeD for two or three months in the year
the carp lie in dormant state, borrowed in
mud at the bottoms OF lakes, and consequently
cannot thrive during those times.
NEW CARP LAKES TO BIZ CONSTRUCTED HERE
The capacity for propagating these fish next
year, at the monument grounds Will b. more
than doubled. A new lake. containing nearly
eight acres, has already been commenced, and
Is o be completed this fall and winter to be In
readiness to receiXe the breeding ri5h next
spring. This is TO be formed by constructing a
causeway or embankment of earth from tue
shore west OF the monument across the ats to