The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-01-05
CARP CULTURE.


CARP CULTURE.
An Interesting Description OF the Fish and
the Process and Manner of Its Cultivation
and Management in Pond and Lake.
| The Carp has toothless mouth, thick
| lips, and four barbels on the upper jaw. In
| place of the usual teeth of the mouth there
are a number of stout teeth on the pharyn-
geal bones, which ARE arranged in three
rows. The general color of the back and
sides is dark, olive brown, the abdomen
often of a whitish yellow or orange tint.
The carp, which is sometimes compured
with the buffalo fish, does not resemble
it at all with the exception ofthe similarity
oftheircoat of scales; nor does the flesh OF
the buffalo fish ever attain the excellence OF
that of the carp. There are three kinds Of
carp, the leather, scale and mirror.
The leather carp has no scales at all OF
sometimes few on the back.
The scale carp has regularly concentrical-
ly-arranged scales all over the body as other
The mirror carp are similar to the leather
carp, with the exception of two or three
rows of large scales down the side. They
are all equally good for culture, the leather
and mirror carp being somewhat
shorter and more tleshy than the
nant waters, or such that do not flow
too swiftly, with loamy, muddy bottom
and deep places covered with vegetation.
Many persons seem to think that they re-
quire exceedingly deep water, on the con
trary, they require shallow wafer, only q
hole here and there about three or four feet
deep, to protect themselves from the ex-
IRENE heat in the dead of SIMMER. The
carp feeds upon vegetable food as well as
upon worms and larvae of aquatic insects,
which it turns up from the mud with the
head
The carp grows little or none at all in the
cold winter months; warmth alone seems to
exercise favorable influence upon it and
to promote growth. 1t is for this very
reason why they are especially adapted to
the waters Of Texas and other Southern
States. To illustrate TO you the rapid
growth of this wonderful fish / take
pleasure in stating that Mr. Ellis, Mr.. Sim
mons, Mr.. Stewart, of the United States
Fish Commission, and myself, caught nine
of twelve carp placed in pond
on Mr.. Rogers plantation, near
Austin, last November n year ago.
and found that the largest was twenty -one
five pounds, the others were an inch or two
shorter and not quite as heavy. These
fish were at that time about sixteenmonths
old, and when put there the preceding year,
were only about four inches in length, sim
liar to those now being distributed BY Mr.
II. r. Robertson, Fish Commissioner of the
State. Persons getting carp TO stock their
ponds should give them some
attention, as they are renarka-
bly, rapid growers, and II line table fish
A carp weighing from four To five pounds
contains about 4O0, GOD eggs but only about
500 or 600 Of these ever reach maturity
The spawning season commences in May
AID lasts through June and July. Dur
ing the spawning, season marked change
takes place in the male; small Jumps. like
warts, appearing on the skin of the head
ard back, but thev disappcsr affcrthat sla
SON. Just before spawning the fish become
quite lively and rise very often TO the sur
face of the water. Several male fish kecD
near the female; the latter swims
more swiftly on warm, sunny morning.
kcepin2 usually close TO the Top, followed
by the males. They lash the water IN a
lively way, shooting through the water
near It's surface, with tremulous movements
OF the Tins. This is the time when the ie
male drops the eggs, which ar Immediately
impregnatcd by the ''mltcr." The female
drops from 400 to $40 eggs ut u time, rcquir-
ing four or live weeks before it has given up
the last egg. The eggs OF the carp are adj
hesiye and adhere in Jumps 10 the Oh
iect upon which they fall Those eggs
which have nothing to cling 10 are lost COM
pletely The good or we'll impregnated
eggs will develop themselves quickly, III
assisted by warm weather. Traces Of dusky
spots, or the eyes may be seen about the
sixth day and the small embryo fish will
appear in twelve or sixteen days, according
.4nm1 Sea-. r.
water. or whether the water In which the
fish are Matched Is deep or shallow. As
have said before, ponds must not be too
decp. as the wafer will hnrbOr fewer
insects and worms, which form a
part Of the carp's food; besides, this
iisi docs not grow rapidly In cold water.
A pond should be about three feet deep
in the center, tapering up az the edges with
adepth ofsf inches or a ioof. At the outlet
OF sluice II should be deeperfhan AZ any other
point 20 as to allow the 1sh 10 winter
there. or for resting place In summer.
should any brooks ~ streams fall iiifo
ponds. ns j. often the case with large ones.
they should BE- turned or and run nsdnc-
side the pond. when tie latter can he sup
piled with water II required. This should &C.
done 10 gunrd against an overflow. f1r
no matter how Inr0usidefable. would
have an iniurious effect uron the IisIirs
The stream 10VinE rel.f alongside Of the
pond can BE- etoupcd "a any ptiint ADD q
consf ant supply VI w1fer rnn into the pond.
In empty Inc ponds fIIt ereaffsf caution
should he taken a. have The rnfer fI0u oct
very rfaEuslyt i rcqnI-ts efcrni dags.
for ii The water J. drawn OF suddenly many
~ TIE Gsh viii sf,Ie N the inuI
nIId nor IN ne -cDIIcrr1r. p or deep IoIr
II he outlet Of the p0nd. thereby mourning
hr1sv lose-
II r. ma ever naiurl pad that IL
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sandy botious WITH - Gay fnrnisl I'riit
o. no fpcd II tie lslI d. n-1d ferIinr.
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at the same I|'ace. ~ thfT rII - so11f
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