The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-20
German Carp Ponds,

-0OuTHdG " dyftCNeS"'e'
German Carp Ponds,
A late number of the Southern Cultiua'
tor is at hand, and in looking through its
columns came upon an article on the
subject of Carp Ponds, written by my
friend and acquaintance, Mr.. W. S. R.,
of Hudson, Ohio. Of course this would
suggest the idea Of sending something in
the same line (the culture of this fish
being one of my hobbies), as / do not
think this new branch of industry is re-
ceiving the attention it deserves; nor are
the people aware of the great possibili'
ties within the pale of carp culture, or
no one having the topography and water
would be without pond, and indeed
but little water is needed with properly
constructed pond. I do not speak as a
theorist, but as practical man and con-
sequently know whereof I speak relative
to this coming new food factor whose
culture will be a kind of esthetic labor
or blending of labor and amusement,
and will, if it has not already, become
pleasant diversity to the mouotony OF
farm life by affording larger, or rather
opening new, avenue for amusement of
rural nature for the juvenile element
in way of fishing, boating, etc., in sum-
mer and skating in winter.
1t is said that since the introduction
for the millions, through the agency
of the U. s. Fish Commission, there are
about 26 900 carp ponds in this country,
and the wonder to me is that more is not
heard from their owners. This is new
industry here and the carp a peculiar
fish; knowledge CT their wants and
habits is as essential to success as are the
wants and habits of any other domestic
creatures we cultivate.
After many years experience with this
fish, I am more and more impressed with
the great possibilities attainable in its
culture when the wants of its nature are
complied with, such as temperature, food,
etc. 1t does appear to me that nature
has done nearly everything except catch
and cook for the use of man.
am in receipt of letters from such
States as Tennessee and North Carolina,
in which it is claimed that carp of ten
pounds weight have been produced when
only two years old. Strange as this may
appear to those unacquainted with the
nature of the carp, and unattainable as
such result would be here at the North,
yet when it is known that the carp
neither eats nor grows through or in the
cool and cold season, as do many other
creatures, both aquatic and land animals,
yet in the few warm and hot months mot
one.half of the year) in which it does
grow here in the latitude of Pennsylya-
MIA, Ohio and the more Northwestern
States, it attains, under favorable condi-
tions, quite one-half that weight in the
same length of time, while in the more
Southern latitudes it grows continuously
the year round.
That all ho try carp culture will sue
ceed is not to be expected, as carp do
not flourish except where their natural
wants are complied with; and from the
very fact that they are the antipodes of
the salmon family in every particular;
knowledge of the habits Of the former
fish rather misleads than aids in the
treatment Of the carp.
The carp is handsome fish and in
form something between that of bass
and shad, the head bearing better pro-
portion to the body than either; the
abdominal cavity is small, the flesh equal
to that of the shad and much resembling
it in texture, and is not more bony, being
entirely free from that bunch bone so
Objectionable in many of the sucker
family.
From experimental data of my own I
feel certain that, after the expense of
constructing the pond, pound for pound
carp can be produced cheaper than pigs
or poultry, and with this addition in
their favor, that they make no demands
in winter for either shelter, care or food,
all they require being water of sufficient
depth to be free from the frost and ice,
where they lie in stupor in puddles,
their lives being in state of allegiance
until the warmth of spring revitalizes
them, when they seek the grassy shadows
to deposit their spawn, which matches in
the sun in from eight to ten days, con-
tingent on the degree Of temperature.
advise all farmers who have even poor
facilities for growing this fish to get
few-say fifty or hundred small ones
and give them chance, aud they will
soon show their own mute argument for
success.
Carp ponds are both profitable and or
namental, and grow more beautiful and
useful from age, and should adorn and
profit every farm or suburban residence.
The carp, unlike the salmon, is still
water fish, rather avoiding than seeking