Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-07-11
3arn' ann 5iresips.
An Ex-Congressman's Exper'
fence with Carp

In the last number OF The South
ern Planter, Col. r. II. w. Duke
of Charlottesville, puts in plea for
German carp as food fish. Col.
Duke has had large experience with
carp, and gives his experience in
their cultivation. They spawn in
May and June and the astonishing
fact is stated that carp Of five or
ak pounds weight will deposit from
100000 to 100000 eggs. Now ii
the hens would only carry on their
business as extensively as that we
should Immediately desert the
tripod and start an egg factory.
The Colonel gives the following in>
teresting facts !
tin the fall of 1880, I received
from tie United States Fish Com
mission seventeen carp about two
inches long, which l placed in my
ice pond. In the spring of 1881 l
also received through friend in
Baltimore some thirty more all
of these were Matched in the year
1850. In the simmer of 1881 l
built another pond expressly for
fish, and in the fall of that year |
procured and placed in this pond
about 100 carp Matched in the year
1881. In the spring Of 1882 l de-
termined to enlarge my ice pond
and convert that into a permanent
fish pond. In order to do this ii
wa, necessary to draw off the wa
Ter. 1t was drawn off in May and
the carp were caught and transfer
red to the other pond. I secured
about thirty-five out Of the forty
seven put in. No doubt some few
may have escaped, and some may
have been buried in the mud but
the entire loss was some thirteen.
These carp were about twelve or
thirteen inches long, and would
have weighed l suppose about a
pound. In catching them, one, a
female Iull Of roe, was injured, and
this one we fried and ate. 1t was
prom, unctd by all the family very
good fish. These fish are doing
much better than l had expected
those which were Matched in 1880
are now about twenty inches long
aid l think would weigh three OF
four pounds. Those Matched i'll
1881 are about twelve long and
weigh about a pound. l feed them
very often with loaf bread broken
into small pieces, this floats for a
time and the fish rise to the top and
take tho particles of bread, just as
readily as a trout takes a fly. Lut
with much more deliberation. They
are quite tame and on any warm
evening, upon throwing III crumbs
OF bread, some fifty or more will
come up to the bank and swim
round almost on top Of the water.
The other day [ concluded to try
the eating qualities OF one, and
with a small fly hook, with piece
OF bread, soon caught one Of the
yearliugs ,(hatched in 1881. II
avoided the large ones by drawing
out the hook when any Of these
approached, as l wished 10 save all
these Tor breeders this year. The
carp caught weighed seven Fights
of pound and was twelve inches
long-growth OF one summer. We
Lad it iriod tor breakfast and seven
persons tasted it, all pronounced it
excellent. The flesh is quite firm
and white and had no taste of mud.
1t reminded me in appearance and
flavor Of the New River cat,
which is generally considered very
coed fish, 1t has but few bones.
Any tanner Iaving small stream
can with very moderate outlay
iaise carp enough 10 supply the
family.
In conclusion, permit ne TO say
that in my cpin on Prot. Baird and
his able corps of assistants, amongst
wLcm is Col. Mcdonald, are doing
more 10 develop and enlarge the
supply Of cheap and wholesome
ICED for cur people than any 9th
er department Of TIE govern
n.ent.