Omaha daily bee., 1883-10-24

chickens l6c; live, . 80 per dozen.
Vegetables Potatoes, soc; onions, soc; cab.
bages, 3O@i0c per dozen; apples, 3 5OG4 90
per barrel
Flour-City -four, l 6003 40.
Brooms-2O 0@S 90 per doz.
LIVE STOCK.
Cattle-3 0O03 30; calves, 5 00@7 80.
Hogs-Market for hogs quiet, as the pack.
ing houses are closed; shippers are paying 4 90
"a 4 20.
German Carp and Sprcklrd Catfish.
1t has long been conceded that fish
culture is, or can be made, among the
not least profitable branches of farming
to which the farmer may turn his atten-
ton. Especially has this been true since
the introduction into American waters of
the German carp. This species of the
carp family which is known in Europe as
the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, is
highly esteemed for food. Some years
ago, it will be remembered, a number of
them were planted in the waters of the
Hudson and a few other streams of this
country, where they become readily ac-
climatized and with that fecundity so
peculiarly characteristic of this family
multiplied with wonderful rapidity.
These fish sometimes attain n length of
four feet, and live to a great age. Among
American specimens belonging to this
family are the brook minnow or black
nosed dace, the common sinner, the red
fin, and the lake club; but none of these
varieties attain their growth as quickly
as does the European carp, neither are
they equal to them for the table. The
business of raising fish as a source of pro-
fit is steadily increasing III Importance,
and will become more general as it is bet
ter understood.
Mr.. j. +. Jones, of Troup County,
Georgia, is one of the few men in the
country who is actively interested i. fish
culture, and, being 30 far successful, his
experiences as he has given them are of
interest and value to all seeking informa-
ton on this subject.
In July of 1882 he began to build a
fish pond, and by November of that year
had it 80 far completed rs to keep water
on nearly an acre. Into this he put
twenty German carp. In January he
had another acre ready, and into that he
put a second lot of twenty. At the time
of putting in the first they were two to
three inches long; they are now from
seventeen to twenty inches long, and
weigh from three to four pounds each.
These fish being too young have not yet
spawned, and will not before next spring
In June last he put into his pond four
carp two years old and ready to spawn.
The 4th of July he noticed that Matching
was going on, and a few days later he
could see that he had thousands of young
fish. From that spawn he o has fish
from six tie eight inches long. When it
is remembered that they were Matched
in July their rapid growth to a size fit for
use will be fully realized. Concerning
the spawning and Matching process, Mr..
Jones says:
These spawners deposit their eggs on
the blades of grass and other swamp
growth %inhabiting my pond, on the under
side, or next to the water, near the sur
face, where the warm effects of the sun
and atmosphere did the work Of hatch
ing. ! don't know how long the process
was going on. only know that the fish
had only been in the pond some twenty
five or thirty days. One other curiosity
is, the young fish are not all the same
size, although the Matching was about or
at the same time with both spawners
Some of them measure four inches, and
from that to eight. Some are more
healthy, harder, or by some means grow
faster than others. This is my expert
ence and success with carp raising 30
far.
Mr.. Jones is experimenting with an
other variety of fish, which he feels sure
will prove profitable, and which is natur-
ally a pond fish az is the German carp.
This is the speckled catfish. OF this he
put, in May last, four spawners into his
pond, and the 22d of August, 100 days
from the time he put them in, he handled
The spawn, which in this short time were
five and six inches long. No fish increase
faster than the speckled cat, while their
growth, it seems, is as rapid as could be
wished. When well attended 10, they
will weigh four pounds III two years
growth, and of course are larger when
older, if well fed and in ponds which are
adapted to their customs. They inhabit
still waters, and love vegetation, such as
grow in and around saltwater ponds.
They will eat readily a dough made of
meal or -four; also flesh, such as the Oh.
trails of chickens, shoats or sheep. They
are an exec lent fish for the table, tn
meat being remarkably sweet and ten.
der. They are easily raised, and can be
readily caught when wanted.
Regarding the construction and ar
rangement # his pond Mr.. Jones says:
'My deepest water is about five feet
deep, and tapers of, over a little more
than three acres Of ground, to not ing,
or as shallow as water can be, | think
about one-third of my pond is four ~
five feet deep, and one thiId one and a hhf
to three feet deep, and gradually lessen-
ing in depth to its edge. At one corner
| with a branch washed into the pond a
sandbed for bedding, which is q necessi-
ty; but they occupy suchsurfaceno longer
mil LnAnLinn L. 4 NJ ,uLn. IN.