The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-07
FooD-FIsH.
Interesting Facts and Suggestions.

The Fish Commissioners of Illinois
have been experimenting with carp, as
food-fish, paying particular attention to
their habits and peculiarities, and their
conclusion is that they are the coming
food-fish of this country They are sat
isfied that IF proper interest can be
created, it will only be a question of
time when they will be cultivated as
generally on farms as are chickens and
hogs; and that when the small amount
of trouble and expense necessary for
raising and feeding them is considered,
their Importance as a food-produeing
source viii be appreciated. When the
fact is taken into consideration that the
buffalo, the coarsest of our river fish,
now commands a price that makes them
a luxury, retailing even at river points
at 8 to 10 cents pound, when a few
years ago they could be bought for to
10 cents fish, averaging from six to
ten pounds, the importance of introduce
ing the carp will be seen"
From a letter written by Hon Spen-
Ger F. Baird. United States Fish Com
American authority on this subject, the
following in relation to this fish is
quoted
Although the carp is of Asiatic
origin, it has been so extensively dis
tributed in Europe as to have become,
IN manner, a native fish. occurring in
public waters as well us in private en-
closures. 1t is emphatically farmers
fish, and may safely be claimed to be
among fishes what chickens are among
birds, and pigs and ruminants are
among animals. Its special merit lies
in the fact of its sluggishness, and the
ease with which it is kept in very limit
ed enclosures-it being vegetable
feeder-and its general inoffensiveness,
whereas trout and black bass require
supply of animal food for their sus-
tenance and growth. The carp, while
not disdaining flies, worms, Larvae, etc,
lives on the succulent roots and leaves
of aquatic plants, their seeds fallen Into
the water. and other similar substances, |
and may be fed very readily upon corn, |
grain, bread, root crops, raw or boiled |
and indeed any vegetable refuse what |
ever. Its rate of growth, too, is some |
what marvellous, and, as observed so fan |
in the specimens introduced into the |
United States, is even more remarkable |
here than in Europe, some now only |
about three and a half years old being |
from twenty-five to thirty inches in |
anu AICIu IOHI u tl8Iit
Dr nine pounds. They occupy a con
spicuous place in the German fish mar
lets, and bring the same price as trout,
selling for about 25 cents per pound |
The carp, will thrive best in artificial or
natural ponds with muddy bottoms and
abundant vegetation. In large ponds it
nay not be necessary to add any special
God; but ia restricted enclosures, as,
or instance. in those of fraction of an
lere, they may be fed with the refuse OF
he kitchen garden. leaves of cabbage,
leek, ETC., hominy or other sub
t ances. The carp spawn in the Spring,
n May or June, and indeed, under some
circumstances throughout the entire sum-
ner. They are very prolific, the female
arying from 10000 to 500, O00 accord
ng to her size. The eggs hatch out in
few days, and the young grow very
apidly. They feed occasionally on so
allied frog spitfle, the green algo scum
hat is so common in frog ponds Con-
such waters are especially
daptcd for carp. Whenever the water
ecomes cold down to perhaps 40 deg,
nd especially when frozen over at the
op,. the fish bury themselves in the
aud, aggregating in lots from fifty to
ne hundred, frequently with their tails
and constituting what is
allied in Germany kettles or rolls.