Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-10-18
Fish Culture.

A great deal of interest is being man.
ifested in the subject of fish-culture in
Southern Missouri. Judge Emerson's
successful experiment and the study of
the subject have made him good au-
thority on fish and fish ponds, and for
these reasons we take the liberty of
publishing the following extract from
q private letter recently written by him
in answer to one of the many inquiries
he is constantly receiving. He says:
"No; brook trout are not profitable here.
Our climate is not their natural home. But
there are thousands offarms in Southern Mis-
souri, where, at a trifle of cost, fine fish ponds
can be made, suitable for carp, or for croppie
and perch; and by little care, an ample sup
ply Of fresh fish can be had the year round.
eff your pond Is small, don't put in bass;
they are too destructive. Don't put in cat
fish; they are scayengers, and are eternally
prawling Around seeking what nest of eggs
they can devour, or young fry they can de-
stToy.
"If you have good supply of fresh water,
and you desire fish that take the hook readi-
" and furnish you sport, stock your water
with croppie, goggle-eye, and black and rock
perch. They breed rapidly, and grow, like
any other animal, according to the supply of
food.
"If YOU desire a good fish, one that will
produce the greatest number of pounds OF
food fish, but a fish that will readily take the
hook, then try German carp. In habit they
are supposed to more nearly approach our
American "buffaloes'' than any other, but
are doubtless superior quality of fish.
"The carp will thrive in any kind of water,
whether running or stagnant. The warmer
the water, the more rapidly they will grow.
A carp at two years old will weigh five to
ten pounds, and if well fed will nearly double
thatwhen three years old. They are a very in
offensive fish, and to do well the pond should
not contain any other fish. Their pond
should be free from rock or stumps, so that
a seine Gamble drawn.
"You ask how to construct your pond?
The process is simple. Select the depres-
sion where you want to make il. Never
mind how irregular its shape. Go at it with
plough, scraper, pick and shovel, and it will
be accomplished in a few days. Interest
your boys in it and give them charge of the
fish. If your material is ample, make the
dam twenty or thirty feet deep or wide-the
thicker the better to avoid trouble with craw-
fish. II your pond is wholly excavated and
YOU need no dam, all danger from the latter
will be avoided.
"Your pond must he free from overflow
from adjacent waters. 1t must be free from
large volume of water flowing through 1t and
over yorr dam, Your fish would be sure TO
escape. In short, to be successful, you must
have the water under your control, and then
by wire screens you can prevent your fish
escaping. You will probably find an odd
one mysteriously disappearing, anyhow, now
and then!
"'Do they need feeding?' Yes, If you
want them to thrive well, grow rapidly, feed
them; but if Your pond is Of considerable
size, you may get a fair supply without much
attention to them. There are plenty of ordi-
nary stock ponds where carp would do well.
They should be from three to ten feet deep,
so as to be perfectly safe from winter freez-
ing.
thereafter our State Fish Commissioner
will be able to furnish young carp to stock
all the ponds our people can make. In No
vcmber and December will be the time to
get them. I shall be very glad to have
supply sent to you.
ga supply of fish-food is very important
item in the health and economy of every
family, equally as much so as ourbeef. And
where it can be had, after the pond is once
made and stocked, with little or no care,