The Osceola times., 1884-05-03

burbs ofCinclnnatlI Comparatively rev
And vet l do not hesitate TO say that
nothing is better calculated to give pleas
use and profit than private pond. 1t
may serve the purposes of flower bed
by being planted with water lilies; 1t can
be boated through in summer and skated
u,on in winter; in spring and summer it
will afford fresh fish and the sport of
catching them; and ON the first winter
after it is built enough ice may be cut
from the surface to pay for the entire
cost of keeping il up for quarter of a
century.
"Now we will replace the carp, and ]
will show you gold fish which have
imported especially for the purpose of
stocking outdoor bodies of water"
The gasping fish was slipped gently
into the pond, and the net was lowered
among some broad leavei aquatic plants
which completely covered the top of an
adjoining basin. This time the plunge
brought out brilliant creature. fully as
big as the German carp, but much more
active. The quick sweep of its tail as it
left the pond sent the drops of water IN
a shower for twenty feet in every direct
| ion.
"This il 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-eminent-
" the aristocratic game fish in tine world.
He is to be found in 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 consequence are more particularly
fitted for fountains and ponds. They are
perfectly hardy, may be left in the pond
all winter, and in a couple of years will
sometimes reach the length of three
feet.
"What are they"
"Histl Keep perfectly still for one min
ute. Don't move, please"--and before
the writer knew what was the matter
Mr.. Mulertt had slipped up the Hill to his
house and was returning with a 22 cali
bre Flobert rife, ,chagred and cooked. He
pointed the muzzle at the root of tall
clump Of pampat grass on the edge of one
of the ponds there came sharp crack
from the exploding cartrid e, and hen
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 my worst enemies"
said the shooter, ejecting the shell from
his rifle, and coolly replacing it with a
fresh cartridge. There is scarcely day
passes that 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 this 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 lie 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 a worm. or
something suitable for their dinner; but
they do no sooner approach it than the
snake seizes them, and instead of eating
they are eaten.
"The crawfish do very little damage in
the way of catching fish; but their nature
prompts them to undermine the walls of
the ponds, and so keep me busy repair.
,,xe, has tV,th has al
they very often tear away part OF the fin
or tail of the valuable goldfish, thus giy-
ing it ragged appearance, which re-
duces its value.
Common geese, ducks and swans,
when they have access to fish pond,
will do great damage by devouring the
eggs and young fish"
"What will be the probable cost of
stocking a small private fish-pond with
several varieties Of fish?"
Every trifing. In addition to German
carp think the government gives away
young tepch and perch. With these va
rieties and few of my gold orfes,
small pond will be abundantly stocked.
The gold orfe can sell in small quanti-
ties at ten cents each. Where man
has suitable grounds, and is near mar
ket, he can take up the business of fish
raising at a very small outlay. 1t is
pleasant business for ladies. as well. and
with proper attention certainly ought 70
be more profitable than bee-keeping or
the raising of poultry.
"You see have here very small piece
of ground-no more than an acre, all
told; and yet on less than half of it
manage to raise enough goldfish 10 make
fair living. Even in the old country,
where high farming is carried TO limits
not dreamed of here, an acre of ground
will not begin TO maintain a family.
When / leased this place some years
ago il was a mere ravine, grown UP in
weeds and bulrushes. The neighbors
laughed at me. "What are you going TO
raise in that hole?" they asked. But
laughs. As the old saying is. ale may
out of that hole than they make out Of
half dozen acres.
"One who knows nothing ABOUT II
would be surprised if he was to he told
of the numberless varieties of goldfish
and the great difference among them in
appearance. Now here is one--dipping
a small and brilliant fish out of the wat
er and holding il suspended in the net
for few seconds (which is known as
the Japanese telescope. Originally pro-
duced in Japan, it is called the telescope
because of its oddly protruding eyes,
each of them standing out from its head
like small spy glass. You will notice
the caudal fin is double, very large and
flowing, 80 that when he swims about in
a parlor aquarium 1t attracts as much at
teniion as his brilliant colors and pro-