The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-14
Draining a Carp Pond.


country emptied one Of his carp
ponds on Monday last, and we were
invited to attend and see the opera,
tion and examine this famed German
fish. Mr.. Reynolds resides mile
and a half north of the Sun on fine
farm. which has number of living
springs Of clear soft water breaking
out of the hill sides One or two of
these springs have been utilized to
supply carp ponds Two ponds have
been built and Others will be added.
The larger of the ponds is about 60
feet square, and 4 feet deep, and the
smaller, half that size. In 1880 Mr..
Reynolds procured 80 small fish, "fry'
and placed them in one of the ponds
The first time the pond was drained,
whi, h was several months after the
fish had been placed in it, he found
bat 10 fish. The fish had grown to ie
quite large. Sufficient circumstantial
evidence has come to light since to
prove pretty conclusively that mid
night poachers had netted the fish our.
But let us 90 back to the work of
draining the pond.
Wooden pipes or logs with p inch
anger holes bored through them Ion.
gitudinal'y to serve asdrain pipes, a"e
laid under the dam and closed by
draw gates. When the pond is to be
empt ed these gates are opened. The
time Sequ red to drain the larger pond
is about + of day. AS the water
began to run low the large fish were
seen swimming round with backs out
of the water. A small island of rocks
is built in the middle of the larger
pond, and an ola hay carriage sunk
by the side of the rock island. These
serve as shelters and ''pfay ground"
for the fish. AS the water ran ow
the boys on hand began to evince
considerable impatience, as the backs
of the big fish were seen cutting
through the water. At length per-
mission was granted to wade to the
rock island and old wagon wreck
with a net and dip for the big fish.
Then the sport and excitement negan
in earnest. The dip net would be
slipped under a big fish as he swan
round and the fish lifted futtering
from the water and placed in hogs
head which was provided for the pur-
pose and kept full of running water
by a piece of rubber hose. AS the
water lowered the boys began to
chase the fish round, wading through
the now shallow water and deep mud.
The bottom of the pond is coyered
with foot Of soft oozy mud. Mum
bers Of the small fry followed the re,
treating waters and made their way
through the drain pipe, which emptied
into net, and were secured and
placed in the smaller pond. The main
object in draining the large pond was
to separate the fry winch was hatched
last summer, from the larger fish, and
place them in pond by themselves
The fish were all secured except those
WHICH were buried in the mud, and
separated, the small fry, measuring
two inches to four long, were counted
into the small pond as each bucket
full was handed to those on the bank.
The fry numbered 2,7U0, but the larg-
er fish which included all of the spawn
Of "a and years previous did not
number more than 30. Six of the
original fish placed in the pond in
1880 were al that were found. the
others having doubtless been spirited
away by midnight poachers. The
large fish which Mr.. Reynolds exhib
tied at the Oxford Fair last fall were
not found. One of those measured
90 inches then. The longest in the
pond on Monday measured but 10
inches. There are two kinds. the
Mirror and Scale. carp. The Mirror
is much the larger fish but the Scale
is pronounced the best eating.
At the price carp sell for stocking
ponds. Mr.. Reynolds has doubtless
had hundreds of dollars worth as
propagating fish, stolen from his
ponds. This species of thieving is
more harmful, and much meaner,
than breaking stores and horse steal.
ing. 1t is obstructing and tending to
frustrate a new industry in it's infan-