Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-07-08
@eeklg gntelligenfer,
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER.
CARP CULTURE.

Au lulpOIthht paIt W suo SoucIuA Suo-
ject of fish culture In Missouri is the
breeding and rearing of the German
carp The carp IS a peculiar fish, and
susceptible to peculiar conditions. 1t
is essentially the pond fish. and, conse-
quently, wherever streams and lakes
are ecarce must be OF great value. 1t
is easy of cultivation under proper con-
ditions, which are moi difficult to com.
ply with. and Is, more than any other
fish, adapted to supply the wants OF the
farmers OF Central and Northern Mis-
souri,. There have been two distribu-
tions OF this fish made In Lafayette coun-
ty, supplying some eighteen or TWEEN
ty persons, and itmay moi be lnoppor-
tune to say something of its habits and
requirements, in order that none may be
disappointed should they fail to succeed
because OF disregarding them.
The carp is OF a beautiful golden red
color !; 1t Is broad and thick, has a bifur-
Gated tail like that of most salt wafer
fish, and is. while young. graceful and
quick IN its movements. 1t has the
toothless, sucker. mouth OF its family.
distinguished by four barbels at its up
per part. It has very much the same
habits as the ornamental gold fish.
which Is itself u species OF carp. 1t de-
lights in warm water. with a soft, rich
mud botto m, with a luxuriant vegetable
growth about the edges and very little
shade. In this latitude a fish Matched
in the early part of the summer should
a attain . growth that season of about
eight inches. 1t grows to as high as
two and three feet long. but It's general
size here when fairly grown would be
from sixteen to twenty inches, its in
crease In size being largely determined
by the warmth and extent OF the water
10 which it is reared and the manner in
which it il fed. It has been captured
in the Danube weighing as high as
sixty.seven pounds. 1t does not die
quickly when taken from the water, and
stands u good deal of rough treatment
= afterward. provided tue scales are not
disturbed. 1t spawns in May. each
female weighing from four to five
pounds containing from four TO i've
hundred Thousand eggs. The eggs are
adhesive and cling to the brush wood,
stones and aquatic plants at the edge OF
the water, which should be shallow for
some distance. The twelfth day after
they are deposited. or at most the six
tsenth, the embryo fish breaks through;
in from three to five days the yeung fish
has absorbed the yolks and begins to
seek its iood, and if there is sufficient
nutrlment o~btainabie It grows very
rapidly. 1t does not need to be led if
the pond Is we'll supplied with plants,
seeds, worms and the Larvae of water
insects, but If the water is overstocked
it will not thrive.
The carp has several serious enemies,
chief among which are the swapping
turtle. the musk rat and the frog, the
latter OF which fastens itself on the
head of the fish, riding it about and fire.
quently digging out its eyes. The shot
gun remedy may DO applied to all Of
these pests, but for the rat it is we'll to
have a few small steel traps. Ducks and
geese should not be allowed about a
carp poud as they befoul the water. and
scare the timid carp from its spawning.
The carp rarely takes the hook, and is
therefore safe from the hook and line
poacher. 1t must be taken either by
9 Of nets or by draining the ponds.
the latter means being the one practiced
in Europe. As q table fish they are
hard to surpass, being considered In
Germany, France, England and Turkey
one of the greatest of Epicurean dellca-
cies. At some other time we shall take
pleasure in telling our readers how
Isaac Walton has taught us, that they
should be cooked. when, he says, They
will do you good."td
Those having experience with the
carp describe it as the fish par excellence
for the million. and some OF its admirers
go 80 TAR as to say That no other fish
can, to any great extent, if at all. be
Proftably cultivated for edible pur.
poses. Henshall and other good au-
thorities would combat this assertion
very vigorously. but it is not necessary
that we should discuss it here-we only
give 1t as exhibiting the great faith That
practical tests with 1t have developed.
1t is undeniable that it possesses every
requisite essential to cultivation in still
water. 1t is largely a vegetarian.
though it will eat almost anything. such
as hashed meats. kitchen refuse, stale
bread. cold potatoes. cabbage. lettuce.
&c. II hybernates In the winter, and
consequently needs no attention at that
season. and. in properly prepared ponds.
where there. is an abundance OF vegeta.
ton. needs very little looking after al
any time, though. like a pig. it will re.
pay by p much more rapid growth the
hand OF the liberal feeder. The growth
OF the fish under favorable circumstan.
ces is almost incredible. Mr.. Geo. Fin.
ley, of,Piltsburg, Pa, gives an instance,
of which there al be no doubt. where
In one of his ponds a carp three inche.
long grew, in M winter and summer
(all or nearly all OF tue growth being il
the summer) to be 16 1-2 inches il
length. and thick and broad in proper
ton. This Was an exceptional growth
of his plant OF that year.. but it show
what the fish can do when it. has
chance.
One purpose we had in writing thi
article was to speak oil the kind of pond
which are necessary to successfully rails
the carp. The common field or pasture
pond, filled by surface water. and wit
no means of draining it at pleasure, wi
most certainly insure failure to the pei
SOL who essays to use it as a carp pond
A properly constructed pond shout
have a regular supply of water, the ir
gress OF which u be regulated ut viii
If it be supplied by active springs i
the bottom the overflow should be III
der control. These are not the be.
ponds as they are apt to be too cold
The best supply is from Il clear runnin
brook, and e to this. springs abov