Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-29
CARP UNDER CULTIVATION.
FlOurishing Fish Found in the Pond at
League Island.


"Why, bless you, Well have 5000 carp
after awhile and herd book with the ped
lgree of breeders running back for genera
uOns," said an enthusiastic member of
the American Carp Cultural Association
yesterday afternoon on his way back from
visit to the government carp pond at
League Island. The expedition, under the
leadership of Assistant United States
Fish Commissioner Milton z. Peirce and
Judge William Parry, President of the as
ISOLATION, went down to the island yester-
day morning on small tug, slow but
safe craft, belonging to the United States
Navy.
When the visitors reached their desti-
nation the pond, which some hours before
had been nearly drained of water, was
filling again. The fish cultural en-.
thusiasts looked a trifle blue, but Capt.
Fitzgerald, commandment at the island,
ordered three or four stout fellows into
the pond with drag net, while the scien-
tlnc gentlemen crowded the bank to en-
courage the fishermen.
The first haul brought up three fine
carp, which were hastily transferred to
shallow pan of water to be washed clean
of mud. The scientists, adjusting their
glasses, gathered round to observe the
additions of their favorites, and were re-
warded with shower of muddy water as
the lively fish turned sOmersaults in their
narrow quarters.
The fish, which were put into the pond
in January, 1888, as 'Efingerlings. were
found to have performed wonders of
growth. The largest of them, female,
was twenty-One inches long, fourteen
inches in girth, and weighed four pounds
and ten ounces. The others varied from
eighteen to twenty-one inches in length,
and weighed from three and half to four
and half pounds. In all half a dozen
fat yellow carp were taken from the
pond, besides nearly peck of fine white
perch.
As the fishing proceeded in the pond
lively discussion went on ashore. Mr..
PIERCE bitterly lnveighed against chat
fool IN Plttsburg" who has audaciously
declared that the only true carp is the
scale carp, and nearly wept over
beautifully large, fat fish because it was
covered with scales. and therefore worth
less.
''All full scale carp in America are i'm
pure, inferior and not worth breeding"
said Mr.. Peirce, and he maintained this
doctrine yesterday with great pertinacity,
though he did not deny tn L the scale carp
are as good as any for the table, and was
forced to confess at last that the scaleless
carp was chiefly superior to its armored
brethren only in beauty,
The Assistant Fish Commissioners
brother fish culturists were fully in ac-
cord with him on this point, and there
was chorus of delight when the drag-net
hauled ashore large carp almost bare of
scales.
"The finest fish l ever saw" said one
of the gentlemen, and Mr.. Peirce turned
to- Capt. Fitz gerald saying: Captain, if
that fish were mine l wouldn't take $50
tor it. She's worth that much as
breeder"
The fishermen were given the peck of
despised white perch, but whea one of
them rashly suggested that he be allowed
to boil some of the precious carp be re-
ceiyed scOwl from each member of the
Fish Cultural Association.
On the way home the members Of the
association were absorbed in discussion
of the utrialaria vulgaris, plant which
is said to eat spawn and even young fish.
Rev. j. II. Brakeley, who brought up the
discussion, was made bOtanist to the as
ISOLATION on the sDOt