Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-05-02
Carp Culture.

Washington correspondent has lately de-
scribed an interesting sight that was witness
ed by many persons when the water was
drawn from one of the carp ponds used by
the fish commission for propagating purposes.
The pond from which the water was exhaust
ed is in sight of the White House, between
that building and the Potomac river. To-
gether with several other ponds, it is under
the charge of Dr. Rudolph, superintendent
of government fish ponds. During the sum
mer some of the ponds we're filled with rare
aquatic plants, and visitors who saw none of
the fish were amply rewarded for visit to
DIR, Hasselps ponds by the show of luxurious
plants and brilliant flowers. The pond emp
tied covers two or three acres-perhaps five.
1t is shallow, as the carp do not require great
depth of water. When the water was reduc
cd to narrow stream crossing the pond, the
fish were scooped out with nets, transferred
to tubs, and, having been carefully counted
were ready for shipment to such points as
Prof. Spencer f. Baird, the commissioner of
fish and fisheries, had directed. In this first
pond emptied, it was ascertaned that by the
natural process of propagation the increase
had been 81, 900 in one year. The fish taken
varied in size from minute specimens half an
inch or less in length to those weighing two
or three pounds They were principally mir
ror carp, having few scales along the back,
but there were in their company not q few
leather carp and an occasional hybrid and
tench.
Mr.. l. N. Cotton of Traders Point, Ind,
writes as follows to the Indiana Times of the
ease with which these fish may be raised
1.-TWO years ago last November 1 received 33
mirror carp, about three inches long, direct
from the United States fish commissioner.
placed them in my pond, and saw no more of
them until the following summer. l saw no
figh the fret hut duripn, he
second hundreds of young fish came to view.
took two with hook and bait in % months
from the time that put them in. One meas
ured II and the other 10 inches in length, the
latter weighing three pounds and ten ounces +;
so that the increase and growth are all that
we could ask for. The quality am satisfied,
will give better satisfaction than the great ma
jority of fish you can buy on the market
They have no small bones, and are very tena-
cious of life after being taken from the wa
ter, and would keep longer than most fish
without dressing, though all fish should be
beheaded as soon as taken.
Ponds may be made by leveeing or exca-
vating or both. They need not be fancy,
and may be irregular and in any shape that
the locality will permit. 1t takes but small
supply of water to keep pond of one-half
acre full. If the water source is high enough,
or the water will rise sufficiently 1 should
prefer leyoeing to excavating. Look out for
gravel beds or seams of gravel. There is
where you lose your water-through the gray
Of. By cutting trench through the gravel
and filling with clay you can stop leakage.
You should have from four to six feet of wa
ter in some part of the pond, but you want
more shallow water for feeding and spawning,
with plenty Of aquatic plants for the fish tc
feed on. Watercress is said to DO good. The
black muck bottom, or even clay, is better
than gravel for carp. The greatest difficulty
in making ponds is to get rid of water-oi
branches and ravines that are liable to over
flow your pond in times of heavy rains. They
should be ditched around the pond. There
should be a place of discharge for surplus
water a little lower than the top of the levee
well protected from wash by boards or stone
You need not be much alarmed about carr
trying TO get out They are non-migatory
and in time of rain and storm, or any disturb
ance of the water, they seek the bottom O
the pond.
Make you a carp pond. If II is but on,
rod wide and three or four rods long, you will
be surprised at the amount of fish you cal
raise in it by feeding If you have six sheeI
on an acre pasture they will grow well, but |
you put on 90 you will have to feed them O
they will starve. A limited number of carr
will flourish in pond without feed, but al
overstock must be fed. Throw in cabbag
leaves potato parings, turnips, cucumbers
watermelon rinds, or anything that your phi
will eat, and you will be astonished at wha
good feeders they arc and at their growth
They like what bread better than auythn
else have led. II you always feed at tn
same place in your pond, your fish will 500
learn to come there for their feed. Throw i
few pellets of bread that will sink to tn
bottom and also bome that will float, and you