The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-08-11
SUCCESSFUL CARP CULTURE.
VISIT TO THE POND OF MIR. ABEL
WRIGHT, GRIFFIN, GEORGIA.

WRIGHT, GRIFFIN, GEORGIA.
Southern World.
In 1879 the Commission of Agriculture
of Georgia, Judge j. L. Henderson
received. from the United States Fish
Commission, 740 young carp, which
were distributed throughout the State
to parties owning private ponds. They
we're distributed in lots of from eight TO
sixteen to the different ponds, so that
more than sixty ponds IN Georgia were
supplied by tue Department Of Agricul-
ture, and probably as many by the
members Of Congress, and, yet we have
heard OF but two in which a complete
snccess has been made in propagating
the fish. All report remarkable growth
of the original fish and few others have
found young carp in their ponds in limi-
ted numbers, but Mr.. I. @. Plant, of
Macon, and Mr.. Abel Wright, Of Griffin,
are the only ones, thus far, heard from,
who has succeeded in propagating the
carp IN large and satisfactory numbers
There must be some reason why these
two gentlemen have succeeded so per-
fectly while the failure on the part Of
Others has been SO general.
We bnve long desired to make an
examination of Mr.. Wright's pond
which has become so celebrated as a
success. We enjoyed this pleasure a
few days since. and realized what we
had before suspected, that his wonderful
success is not accidental, but the result
of well directed enthusiasm. The
greatest achievements by man usually
result from enthusiasm guided by sound
judgment. If we have been correctly
informed, Mr.. Plants Success is due to
his efforts to prevent poaching, which
lead him to throw q1antity cf brush
iuto his pond. These brush afforded the
necessary indus for the reception Of the
eggs of the carp, and hence his success.
The case is different with Mr.. Wright
who studied the habits Of the fish he
proposed to cultivate, and supplied in a
systematic manner the aquatic plants
which supply at once food for the carp,
and serves the equally important pur-
pose of suspsnding the eggs in the water
during the process of incubation. This
Mr.. Wright supplied by planting IN his
pond variety OF lilies and water grass
es. The roots of two weeping willow
trees which stand ON islands in his pond
afford admirable spawning surfaces.
These two willows originally stood on
the dam Of his pond He afterwards
determined TO increase his area Of water,
and to do this. moved the dam on one
side of his pond out about fifty feet but
left thewilliows with enough earthto sup.
port them securely boxed up. Their roots
have now extended beyond this boxing
into the water. spreading out multi
tude of feather.like rootlets which moi
only afford shelter for the fish but {
resting place for the spawn, All carp
eggs which sink to the bottom Of the
pond are lost, They are surrounded BY
a gelIatinous substance which adheres to
any object which it touches, and thul
protects the life OF the egg.
Now the two principal causes Of Mr.
Wnght's success are first. that he hat
no other fish except carp in his pond
and second, that he supplied the propei
substances to support the spawn
Neither Of these precautions alone viii
be sufficient to ensure success Other
drew on their ponds and took out othel
varieties OF fish while some supplied thu
aquatic plants without removing othe
varieties Of fish. The result has beel
the same in each case, viz: Either yer,
few young carp or none at ALL Beside
making his pond an inexhaustible sourc'
of pleasure, Mr.. Wright has made
quite source Of income by the sale o
young carp for stocking other ponds
One who is prepared for growing car
| can we'll afford to purchase enough ;