Fair play., 1884-07-19
Carp.Raising In Kansas.

Prof. Shelton, ofthe Kansas Agricul-
tural College. makes the following
partial report in relation to raising
carp: Our experience with German
carp began in April of 1881. when some
thirty Young fry of scale carp were re-
ceiyed from the United States Fish Com
missioner at Washington. These were
placed in shallow pond, having a
superficial area about l2X30 feet, which
had been hastily excavated for their re-
ception. The fish were occasionally
fed, sometimes at intervals of two or
three days, but Oftener as many weeks
would elapse without any food having
been supplied them by artificial means.
The feed used was scraps Of bread and
other vegetable food from the table,
and occasionally corn-meal mush pre-
pared especially for them. From the
time the fish were placed in the pond
they were rarely seen. Pieces Of bread
thrown in the water would bring them
to the surface, but their favorte posi-
ton seemed to be near the bottom Of
the pond, the mud of which they
seemed to be constantly turning up. In
the summer, the pond became greatly
reduced by evaporation until it scarcely
held six inches deep of water. Never
theless. and although the pond was ab-
splu,cly devoid of grass and other or
dinary vegetable growths, the carp
1hrbvc and grew amazingly.
No growth was made in either winter
season, or during the entire year last
past. The latter fact is probably ex-
planned by the facts that the fish bred
enormously during this year and were
badly crowded in ponds containing but
little vegetable growth. In the summer
OF 1881, a second and deeper pond was
dug, which has since been used for the
winter quarters OF the fish. This pond
is about .jtX:;O feet, and holds when
full three feet deep of water, an amount
which experience has shown to he suifi-
cient to prevent the complete freezing
Of all The water in the pond. During tho
entire winter, this pond has been appar-
emily solid mass Of ice; and although
during the past winter. by an accident
10 4 sluice, the water drained out from
beneath the ice, leaving scarcely six
inches of water in the pond, no harm
came to the fish. At one year old our
carp bred, but the increase was slight
During the summer of 1888, however,
they increased enormously, the produce
numbering thousands. which in many
cases were four inches in length before
fall. wish to emphasize few of the
considerations that must be needed by
the beginner who would be successful
in carp-raising:
l. The supply of water for the pond
must he under perfect control. If the
pond is subject 10 overflow, the carp
will almost certainly be carried away
by the first freshet. If, on the other
hand, an uncontrolled flow of water
enters the pond there is danger from
the entrance of such enemies as min
nows, suniish, snakes and turtles The
pond, or pondS-for there ought To lie
ut least two, one for breeding and the
other for store iiSh-should be generally
shallow, abounding with deep holes
>. The enemies Of carp in Kansas are
chiefly the various predaccouS fishes.
turtles, snakes, wild ducks and the bird
known as the king fisher. The finny
enemies of carp must be kept away by
wire gauze, intersecting. the stream
feeding the pond. The turtles NAV be
caught with fish-hook and line. and the
gun will be found efficient against tur-
ties, snakes and birds. Of all the en-
cmics Of carp, turtle have proved b.
far the most dangerous. 3. If the
pond abOunds in grass, flags or weeds
in quantity the fish do not need to be
supplied with food. But even where
the pond furnishes good feeding
grounds for the fish, a regular artificial
supply of food will all in giving the
fish early and rapid development.
There is much dispute about the eat
ing qualities of carp. by some it is
claimed that carp are equal TO salmon
or trout in edible qualities, while others
pronounce them to be totally inferior in
flavor and quality. Probably Y the treat
ment the fish have received. aud more
especially the character of the soil un-
deriving the pond in which the fish
have been kept. the age of the fish. and
mode of cooking, all influence the
quality of the carp, and thus produce
these divergent opinions regarding
them. Carp have not proved with US
10 be the best favored fish, but they arc
greatly superior to buffalo fish. catfish
aud most of our native fish in quality
and flavor. They are bony, tolerably
firm. fat fish, and the flavor. while quito
pronounced, is not disagreeable. Ther
will prove welcome addition to the
daily fare of most of the Kansas farm.
.b,, fl,,,, 49,, II