The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-06-06
GOLDFISH IN THE OHIO.
The Unique Industry OF a Cincinnati
Naturalist. ~ %

Naturalist. n n %
do you happen to know that the
flood has resulted in stocking the Ohio
river with goldfish"
'sNo." 49, % N-
''Well, it has, to limited extent.
The backwater from Mill Greek flooded
Hugo Mulertt's goldfish nursery out
back of Spring Grove and carried
away some thousands of young fish of
all kinds-Japanese fringe-tails, hog
noses, telescopes, tumblers, piebalds,
double-tails, notified beauties and
hundred other rare kinds that you and
have never heard of. The same thing
happened last year, and, If it is kept
up, in the course of time the people
along the lower line of the river will
have chance to taste finer fish than
the channel cat.
''But goldfish are only fit for orna-
mental purposes. They were never
meant for the frying-pan."
THAT is where you are mistaken.
One variety that was washed away in
large numbers-known as the gold orfe
is as fine food or game fish as any
man need want, and, at the same time,
is bright vermillion from the tip of
his nose to the end of his tail. He is
as big as full-grown trout and as
knowing as fox. But don't take my
word for it, Go and see Mr.. Mulertt.
about it. He is the only fish-farmer in
this neighborhood, l think, and can
tell you more interesting facts about
goldfish in an hour than you can print
in week."
Eyes, sir; / am fish-farmer, if you
like to give me that name, although
the usual designation for a man in my
business is "a pisciculturist q" said
Mr.. Mulertt. "See here" He dipped
a long-handled net into the clear water
of pond before him, and after few
quick motions, landed high and drip
ping on the grass, q plump, two-pound
fish. Its color was very dark gray
almost black-and the black scales.
fringed with white, which covered it.
were as large as ones thumb-nail.
''That fish is the German mirror
carp. 1t is fine food fish-hardy and
very rapid grower. The government
wants to give every man in this coun-
try as many of those fish as he will
care for, and it has always been sur
prise to me that there are comparative
ly so few applicants for them. There is
fully one pound of meat on that fish
before us, and / can truthfully say that
he has not cost me one cent for food
since he was given to me. Unlike other
animals. fish in confinement will for
age for himself all the year round, If
his pond is properly built and contains
few aquatic plants.
This is fish," said the exhibitor,
(which is but little inferior to the
trout in gameness as well as on the
table; and then notice his brilliant
colors. He is called the gold orfe, and
is pre-eminently the aristocratic game
the pond of every German nobleman,
and, must say, is worthy of every
honor. These fish swim in schools
near the top of the water, and in con-
sequence, are partially fitted for foun-
tains and ponds. They are perfectly
hardy, may be left in the ponds all
winter, and in a couple of years, will
sometimes reach the length of three
feet"
what are they"
Hist! Keep perfectly still for one
minute. Don't move, please"-and be-
fore the writer knew what was the
matter, Mr.. Mulertt had slipped up the
hill to his house, and was returning
with twenty-five caliber Flobert rifle,
charged and cooked. He pointed the
muzzle at the root of tall clump of
pampa grass on the edge of one of the
ponds, there came the sharp crack
from the exploding cartridge, and then
a small, brown water-snake threw him
self out of the hole in which he had
been hiding, and writhed on the grass
in full view.
''Snakes are among our worst enc
miles," said the shooter, ejecting the
shell from his rife and coolly replacing
it with fresh cartridge. There e
rarely day passes that I do not shoot
one or more of them. Turtles and
muskrats are also great pests. With
this rifle, shot no less than fifty blue
herons on the pond last year. some of
them standing four and five feet high;
and as for cranes, king-fishers, frogs,
crawfish and nevis, they make my life
q burden. The snake is in the habit
of lying hidden from view, with only
his head exposed, and playing his
tongue into the water. The young fish
imagine the tongue to be worm or
something suitable for a dinner; but
they no sooner approach 1t, than the
snake seizes them, and instead of eat
ing they are eaten.-Cincinnati En-