, 1883-12-08
THE CARP AND iTS HISTORY.
An INTERESTING PAPER EY NIX CHt>.
". SMILEY.
In- .nsroduciiss sf the German carp inio
Th.- Conntry .-.Ihe AabiIs Of the Fish
and IL. Wonderful frsiiar Ps~er>.--
The Frofifs Of Carp Culture. &c.

sntrcd0Cllou - sA@~n sssF II
Th,. Couniry ..Ihe Aabiis Of the Fish
and n. Wonderful Prolific Ps~er>.--
The ProGis Of carp Culture. E'r.
IL paper re-d before the Americia A-so
cation Tor the edrAncsntEt OF Science, a.
tie. Minneapolis meeting. Mr.. Charles W.
Smiley, of that city, gave very interesting
account q the introduction Snd propagation
OF the German carp in this country. DE
ssys there are three species o: carp, the most
edible Of which IS the seslei variety. The
leather carp. however, is tho most FroLfic
and q very edibls fish. while the "niirror
Is An in.ermeiia.s between the other two IS
TO prcli6cness aud quality Of flesh. He says
the carp was originally native Of Central
Asia. Il Was introduced INTO England IN
1904. and into Austria III l2s2,.
THE FIRST CARP BROUGHT TO THIS COUNTY,.
Capt. Henry Robinson Is said TO have
brought the tIs. specimen OF these fish to
,hi. country from Holland III 1880. and put
them in = pond at Nevburg, New York
There ~as 70 practical result from this Ia
PRODUCTION, however, and the carp was al
most unknown here until M. Hessel brought
AS of the different varieties from Bremen
Tor the United States Fish Commission IN
May, 1877. These have been pr'pagated 50
successfully in the carp ponds in this city.
under the direction OF Professor Baird, that
in 1879 SIX thousand tao hundred and three
fish were distributed among the various ap-
plicsnts. AID since that tine the aumber has
lac,.ased each year until, during the pas.
season, III. COS have been distributed.
CARP crLTrRE.
Ia speakiBg Of :he calture Of the carp ST.
Smiley says tina. they flourish best in ponds
c5ntaining warm water AMI muddy bottom.
Tney FEED upon worms and tie lower forms
Il alma, life within their reach, and are
airo fond oi vegetable food, such as lettuce,
e.bt.ce, leaves Of the variou. water plants,
seeds, grain, bread or crackers.
Ii tie water is warm, tie summer long,
ami there be plenty Of food. either natural
OF artificial, he ssTs, the growth OF the carp
III De surprisingly rapid. There are well
81 D. erticaied reports Of it reaching three
AID. N o1e year AID SIX pounds IN two
- .rs. Ifuo sgti6ciai foot IS furnished, and
.uere Is SIS scarcity 81 natural f"od, Q. #
tas Innate be cold, the growth VIII lie
i uca less rapid. Indeed, when the water
oeconos quite cold it will partially bury it.
ee'i ~ mad aud lie In dormant state
I through thc en,ire winter and until slr:ag
iairiy sets IL. ia the southern part u;
Texas !. is probable that the carp VII not
oe iurce.i 10 hii.srEate at a.! except IL case
% Al uuusually severe winter, IN the north
err par. Of Ma,De agd Minnesota il may be
/ expected TO hibernate n-arly haii the year.
.As 1t cannot grow during its hiberna.ioP, 2
! mach ,nur. raPld growth can be obtained N
! fe1as than in Vermont. There is little
irrger, however, Of it freezing TO death, fol-
/ carp have survived in tubs Of water or,I
/ which thick film OF ice has accumulated.
( ENEMIES OF THE CARP.
/ In speaking oi the difficulties mct with in
! the propagation OF the carp in ttis couGtry
. h, say, that not Only DO all kinds of car
! riverous ash prey upon It's ycung, bnt near,
! every ten will eat It's eggs. Frogs. snakes
and Turtles wi! eat both egg and yours IN
numerous quantities. \ sE-ke was recently
! killed az the carp ponds in Washington IN
which Wa, found over twenty-five young
carp and nuraerous und.sested skeletons o;
| the same ;ish. OBe medium siz, snake, II
/ furnished the proper facilities, viii eat forty
carp per day, " FIVE Thousand each summer
Various birds, such as kingishers, bitterns,
cranes, herans, anu fish haAk, understsi d
catching carp much better than the average
farmer. About the 18th Of july last marsh
hen MAS shot at the Washington carp ponds
whose stomach contained thir:y-eight young
carp. Il is best to separate the spawning
carp from all other animals, and carefully
protect the eggs OF the young Tor as long a
time as convenient.
As food be Gays the carp ranks above tie
ordinary native fish, such as buffalo, MULTI,
suckers, mud fish. croakers. mill roach
perch, SUI fish, but is hardly equal to the
bass, tront and shad.
THE PROFITS OF cAEF CtLfCEE.
Mr., Smiley s3ys that scme prisat. spetu,
| Iatn.5 In these ti-h are Dow selling the 4nir.
Tor csrp ten Iaon5hs old a. s..' pel one hun
! dred. scale carp ten m0aths old at SO pct
hundred. Large iish are even sold Al s5 s
| psi-, and would perhaps he s9id at higher
i.tes seTs i not for the fac: tha. the United
: Satss Tish Commission furnishes ,ts sn..il
! T b .-oa oi cost
/ Ee Gays tnat the cultivation Of Sab IS trs-
! II = To become AZ important among An.eIi-
/ csn farmers and planters as the cultivation.
OF csttle, sheep, swine. peuitry, OF Of grams.
. lEGlIS sHi DcIrltS- iHc NAifiIEeSe iDt WIG
range OF die. aud the rapid growth OF carp
! G. c.ahy it il TO be tie precursor in fish
fas-.ir... Ever rural community i, d,s-
II ID : lave It's ieh p1nis N Tie same
ID udGnoe mat II has 1t. pis Isa, or .ts
. l...I.y yards. Til. will enlhle rycry farm
However remc.c from market. To nitro
{ Iya .rsh iish iBto h,s biiI cf fare at a very
: :-,ln. cost. The carp may be made a
..-Ns--a5!e yet, !earning 20 come TO rs i0sd
=. -. y ,.=b;!paily :sd ID oae p,aca, anl Ia
ss.4sics weEeT. CI upon plank Submerged &
fess 'rcEoe. tr,ra these places, hv reason oi
: Ia tIa., -. :, -. i-e tsle- ,,u With iae
h-E,'s
lard Party.
/ There T. uu j:.cuait Oh Waiia WsHa
. olrl party -4d sh= hospitality oi or citizrLs
1. Wv. '.sI -. r.. .:,.-r - IL a.