Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-10-31
Fish Culture.

loathe standard.
| have few thoughts to present to
my fellow farmers all over the coun-
try. / know the times are hard, and
we are all anxious to earn an honest
penny. When wool is % cents and
wheat so or 90 cts we have to look
sharp to make ends meet, and free
exchange Of thought often assists as.
| feel that owe all ideas CLEANED
from different papers.
bought farm near this city in
1881. Then it was thought that every
thing was at its lowest, and times
must brighten up. Expecting good |
times, which did not come, / failed |
to meet my payments and was driven
to look for something new. could
not raise cattle, sheep, or hogs with
any profit, so struck on raising fish.
l must say to start with that the U.
S. Government will send to any one
wishing to start in the fish business
from y to 20 fish to breed from. Our
government is doing all in its power
to advance fish culture, as it is val
liable field and almost wholly unoc-
cupied. 1t requires no capital and
brings in large revenue. There is
no doubt but what more money is
made at fish culture than at raising
cattle, sheep and hogs. Ifone-eighth
of an acre is devoted to German carp
it will bring a clear profit of $500 at
the very lowest estimate. l had
host of my fellow farmers say, just as
did, l should like the $500, where
will | get information in regard to
fish culture? Write to the U. S. Fish
Commissioner, Columbus, Ohio, en-
closing plainly addressed envelope
and you will receive, free of charge,
the information you desire. Will
they tell me how to get the fish ?
Yes; they will send you blanks to fill
out, by which you can get the fish
without cost. Is there any doubt of
my making money in the fish bust
ness? Do you think that the govern
ment would go to the expense of rails
ing fish and shipping them free of
charge to her citizens in different
parts of the country unless she was
certain that citizens would find it
profitable business? How large a
pond would L need, and what would
it cost? pond Is or 20 feet across,
and will cost nothing but little
digging. l have no stream on my
lot, what will / do for water? Carp
do not require running water; they
do better in still water, even in a
swamp, and delight in mud. In
what section of the country is the
business most profitable? Any part
Kansas is as good State as New
York, Mississippi as good as Michi-
gan. Will it not take long time to
get start from 20 fish? No, indeed;
every female carp lays from forty to
fifty thousand eggs every year and in
crease amazingly fast, and will in
crease your dollars just as fast if at
tended to. What season is best to
make fish pond? From Nov. LIST
to March LIST. Do you have to feed
o the fish in winter? No; they eat
nothing during the cold months, but
e lie in a dormant state while cattle
and sheep are eating their heads off
- If the government was to offer tC
: send pair Of pigs to any farmer that
II would write for them, every farmer
q in the land would send his name
% Then why not get some fish wher
y they cost nothing and will bring you
- more money than your farm stock
% wish every paper in the land would
;, urge this matter on their readers, a.
" l know they would be comforting {
= lasting benefit. w. B.
= Pittsburg, Pa, Oct. "a, 1885.