The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-02-17
Fish Food For Farmers.


the United States, a fish that will thrive and
grow fat and savory on decaylng vegeta
ton, ls a progressive step toward utilizing
figure the farms Of the country. 1t is q
rare exception when hundred acre farm
has not pond, or pool, where fish
culture can be made to flourish, If not
with the beauty, with more than the value
OF the harvest acre.
Fresh fish for breakfast ls great rarity
upon a farmers table. This is the more
strange when we consider that many OF
our most fertile farms, especially those
east Of the Allegheny boit, lie utoug the
great water COURSES, Or are furrowed by
s!rDanls That will yleldra bountiful supply
of coarse, but good fish food.
Fish-culture, by it's rapid, economic
progress during the last decade, has
placed at the Will OF the farmer q means
of providing for his; daily needs which
ranks In Importance with the raising of
ordinary, farm, products TOR home oonsump-
ton. Why the farmer has not found this
.out long ago 1T is easy TO explain. The
pursuit or .fish-cultlire has been almost
exclusively confined to those who may be
classed, without offcnse, as professional
fish cultuusts. These gentlemen have
made fish culture On art, from knowledge
of which, the farmer, with his acres of
water area, all ready for the seed. has
been debarred. Yet all these years fish
raising, for domestic. use, has remained
one of the simplest problems that ever q
farmer was called upon TO solve.
Given pond, few fish, a shovel, n
few hour labor, with twelve months OF
patient waiting, and you have your crop,
which, with cale, will become an annual
one, without the use Of pillow, harrow or
seed bag. Take the carp as all lllustra
ton. Ii you have natural pond, cove
ing at least half an acre, with an outlet
and inlet, its greatest depth at least eight
feet, with shelving margin, you have
your fish farm. Send to, tho fish comn,ls-
sion Of your State for supply of carp,
which will be furnished to you free of
cost, except that of transportation. Place
them IN your pond, feeding, If reeued,
with the scraps from the kitchen, or better
still, with the curd of sour milk. In
twelve months there will be a crop ready
for table Use.
Fish, like cereals, must have protection.
Before planting the carp. see that the pond
is cleared of all other kinds of fish, and of
young Ssh, as we'll as the spawn OF the
larger ones. The young fish have other
enemies, such as tho kingdsher, the blue
heron, ducks, water-rais, etc., against
which they will need profession.
Put no other fish IN the pond with carp,
but if you crave a varied fish diet, and
have another natural POM, or the chance
pr OF TilalSlng one Nut sIfe~ISirzcn catfish or
bullheads Fin II. THIS fish protects lis
young, and increases witt, great rapiiily.
In separate pond may be planted the
large-mouth black bass, or the yellow
perch may DO raised. All of the above
named fish will live and thrive IN ponds
with muddy bottom, and their growth IN
SIG and numbers will be dependent upon
the food and fresh water supply. The
carp is q vegetable feeder. and will re-
quirc little food 80 long as the pond Is
well filled with aquatic plants. The other
fish feed on minnows, frogs, tho larvR of
water insects, fresh water Crustacea, and
such other animal food as comes within
the reach of their rapacious jaws. BY
the judicious culture OF u small frog pre-
serve, sufficient food for the black bass
can be raised with surplus of delicious
frog legs for private consumption.