The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-07-26
THE CULTURE OF THE CARP.
South Carolina takes her Share of tho
German Fish.

South Carolina takes her Share of tho
German Fish.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-TLe report o {
the United States Fish Commission for
the distribution season Of 1882, lust
made out, shows that 1881 German
leather carp were sent to applicants from
South Carolina from the commencement
Of the season in October until the close.
June !. Five hundred applicants were
supplied and the fish were sent into five
Congressional districts and twenty nine
of the counties in the State.
The number Of carp distributed
throughout the entire country was about
100000. South Carolina being much
smaller, and with less population than
many of the States, did not send in so
many applications or get 80 many fish as
some other States. but proportionately
she sent In q remarkably largo number Of
applications, showing the increasing in.
terest taken by our citizens in fish cul.
ture. No individual in the State receiv-
ed large consignment, the ten thousand
carp being entirely sent to numerous
small orders coming from every portion
Of the State.
This is very gratifying sign, for ii ia
much more advantageous for The carp to
be placed in the hands ofvarious persons
scattered in all portions of the State than
to be confined in the hands of q few in
dividuals. In this way their adaptabili-
ty to tho climate can be more thorough
ly tested, and the officials OF the COM
mission will be better able to give infor-
nation about their culture, for the c:.rp
is d recent importation to the United
States.
Tho entire consignment to come States
has been centred in the hands of a few
persons, and but few localities were
thereby given q chance 10 test the merits
of the carp. One Kentucky Congress
man alone secured 5000, and although
that State was given lerge number of
the fish, the number Of applicants were
few, and only came from certain locali-
ties.
Carp culture is destined to be an i'm
portant industry in this country, especial
ly in the Southern States, where the
climate seems to be particularly adapted
to the growth of the fish. The young carp
was first imported icto the United States
| shortly after the organization Of the fish
| commission from Central Europe, where
tradition has it that they were cultivated
by the peasants centuries ago. In Aus.
tria, which possesses the most extensive
carp fisheries in Europe, the culture of the
| carp can be traced ms far back as the year
1927. The Emperor Charles the w Of
Germany, by granting sundry privileges,
favored the establishment Of ponds in
his dominions, and the monks were es-
pecially assiduous in the culture of the
fish in ponds made for the purpose. AS
early as the first half OF the fourteenth
century Bohemia had established large
carp ponds, and the propagation of the
fish progressed to wonderful degree, as
| also in Poland and that section of the
Continent now comprising German
Austria. In the same century the man.
moth and celebrated ponds near Within
gau in Bohemia were built It can be
seen by this that carp culture is no new
industry in the world. Contrary to the
expectations of the commission the carp
aourishcs much better and grows much
more rapidly at the South than in the
colder Northern States, although they
were imported from cold country. The
reason Of .h;s cen be readily explained.
In the native countries of .hs fish it was
compelled to abstain from food during
the winter monthsg aud bury in the mud
to escape the cold. The necessity for
this is avoided in the Cotton States, and
the fish eats and grows the entire year
through. Reports from the South show
that larger carp have been grown in that
section than in Germany, the native
country of the fish.
The carp is dark colored fish, and is
divided into three varieties, known as
the scale, mirror and leather carp. The
1ot - s, -
them are propagated by the commission
! attention from man has made the fish
become thoroughly domes.icated, aud
especially in ponds stationed near DWELL
ings they are generally fed every day.
With little training they will come when
called and readily eat out of the haIdsof
familiar person. Mr.. Rudolph Hessel,
the superintendent of the ponds near the
| Washington Monument, can at any time
| call the full grown carp to the waters
edge and exhibit them TO visitors. They
eeem to be remarkably sensible and
carelessly fondle the hands Of the genial
| German, and splash about In the water
until he conciliates them with food.
| The average length of the full grown
fish is about two feet, buttbey are eg-
tremely thick through the body and are
very solid and heavy. As table fish it
has no superior, the taste being excellent
and but few bones disturbi tho progress of
the epicure. The carp is most general
ly grown in ponds, but riSes that are not
too rocky and rapid, and whore they can
find easy retreat in places where the
water is still, are admirably adapted TO
their growth. In fact a river fthe kind
described is considered even better for
their growth than pond, for there Is
always an abundant supply of food to
satisfy their wants.
There is no reason why South Carolina
should not be supplied with an abun.
dance Of this magnificent fish. The
State is traversed by innnmerable rivers
and creeks in which they could flourish
much better, rs has been demonstrated
than in their native German waters.
Besides the State is covered with thou
sands of small ponds adjacent to Tie
rivers where the carp could be grown with
ease. The water being a little stagnant
does not seem TO affect them. The Off
cials of the commission, in conversation
with your correspondent, seemed highly
favorable to sending carp 10 the State,
and spoke in glowing terms Of her water
advantages examined by them. It afford
ed them much pleasure to see the wide,
spread interest taken by the citizens in
the culture of this greatest of all food
fishes. ~ Correspondence of the Ne,ps ana
Cburier. :ass5 q
- Old age Is the night oflife, ass night
| 90 <.F ko srrlst 4