The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-11-17

ana mum hcrS IL truly astonishing, ~ Que
regard tor ones reputation for veracity
would seem TO suggest caution IN the rea.
iiOn of fish sIurles," and this certainly
obtains in reference to The carp, 1t is sand
that Mr.. j. y, Pope, of Sunoma, Cal,
started from the ponds OF miller ia lIOl
stem, IN the summer Of 1872, with eighty.
three carp, varying IN size from two teet in
length down to the size of an ordinary
steel pen.
On The voyage he lost all but five of the
very smallest of the lot. These were placed
N his ponds on the fifth day Of August,
grown sixteen inches in length, and had
produced oyer 5000 young fish.
1t should be stated that MIR. Poppe'a
Iponds were of "A temperature that admits Of
the growth OF the carp In the winter
months. Nosuch result would bc po,s ,bc
IN Iowa during that part Of the year,
The United States Fish Commissioner,
The Hon. Spencer f. Baird, has distributed
the leather carp which Is nearly naked,
aud the mirror carp, so called because OF
three rows Of very large mirror like scales
on lls sides. The reports from the dis'rlb
uuOn are very encouraging. \ gentleman
placed dozen carp IN muddy pond on
Orange Mountain, \. j in July, they then
measuring three to four inches in length.
In four months the fishes were found TO
have grown fifteen inches in length.
In the spring of 1850 some carp were
take. To Georgia. Prot b ird to whom |
am indebted for the account illustrated
HE size when taken from the ponds a
| Washington, 10y marking with his thumb
about twO-thirdS of his Little finger, say
one and OnC.half inches IN length. In the
following November three of these fishes
measured from twenty-five 10 twenty five
inches in length.
| said professor the thing Is incGcdi-
blc.' He replied, II admit 1t; and the
only answer to that is that il is true"
These facts have additional significance
when 1t IS remembered that the carp Is q
| bulky fellow IN proportion To his length,
broad. >houldered and d"cp.bodlcd TIE
ltrgest fish mentioned above weighed seven
pounds. In the North they have grown
from one.hGli ounce 10 two pounds in one
season.
Such growth Is greater than the carp has
attained IN Europe in the same time.
Il is thought that our waters afford them
better nutrition. However this may no,
the evidence is all in favor of the value of
the carp AZ n food fl-h IN America, and that
It's importation will prove to be lasting
! benefit, and one that Will expand rs tune
passes, until its extent can scarcely be eli.
mated
To raise them to The best ADVANTAGE
there should he several ponds, varying mi
extent and depth. There should he a
grassy pond, two or three feet IN depth mi
! the deepest part, but having shallow poy-
| TONS, in which the breeding fish may
spawn.
In these should be placed few females,
say three 10 five, and Il like number Of
mhlcs The spawn adheres to grass, and
| the young hatch out IN few days. When
! the spawning season is oyer, which i, from
! May to July, the parent fishes should he
removed to the deeper ponds.
There should be Il pond in which they
can pass the winter in safety, which they
do by burrO0ing in the soft bottom III the.
deeper paris.
They seek these basins or kettles as the
water becomes cold, and pass the winter IN
a state # torpid Information. During this
| time they scarcely gain or lose appreciahy
| in weight though taking no uutrmcni for
several months.
These kettles should be Of depth of
cloh, or more feet, and Of an extent to &C.
icummoIatc the number Of fish in the pond.
During mid winters, ana especially
with water flowing continually through
the pond, particularly that from 'prngN or
from tile-draIns, SO as 10 prevent the form.
alton of very thick Ice, they would no
doubt do well IN ponds OF less depth; but
II is best to be safe. In addition 10 these,
there should be ponds in which the fish OF
one year Old, and, perhaps these Of two
years, might be kept to themselves.
This is not absolutely necessary, but they
are said To thrive "a much better, "a doI
other domestic animals when assorted with
reference to size and strength IN the tccd
lots But IT a farmer should not wish IoI
breed and rear The young fishes, but only
to feed them for his own table. or for mar
ket, he could dispense with the brccdngI
ponds and might then be content with a.
single pond so arranged that It would ans.
wcr for both summer and winter.
TO supply this he could occasionally
secure few hundred Of young fishes from
srmc one that had breeding ponds.
BY this method one could have large re-
turns from small expenditures, and supply |
the table with an excellent TODD from a.
comparatively small body Of water. such
is said to be the method Of many farmers
IN those countries where the carp is known
and valued.
But they are often bred and reared in the
same pond-old and young together. This
II called mixed culture, and rs they do not
prey on each other this mode is practica |.
bic. but not as successful rs when they are
cla,sed according to size
Tie capacity of an acre Of water to iurn.
ish food is probably rs indefinite rs that
of IN acre of land If sterile and exposed, |
aud the stock compelled to search its enlireI
eX lent for its spontaneous products, the re-
suit might he unsatisfactory.
On the other hand, It protected, enriched
and cultivated, and If food he added from
other sources, the returns could he multi.
pllcd many times. 1t is one of the mos
valuable characteristics Of the carp that lie
is an omniverous feeder. 1t will cat any
thing that hog will eat. The refuse OF
the table the garden, the stable, boiled
corn, beans, peas coagulated blood, or milk
insects, worms, and vegetables that grow
in the water all these are welcome, and on !
them they may be subslsted at small ext