The morning call., 1891-11-15
PISCATORIAL.
journal Which Comes to the Defen.
of Mr.. earn

| A journal Which Comes to the Defense
OF MIR. Carp
OF lats the carp has come in for consider
able abuse from all quarters on account of
| Its supposed bad habits, etc. The follow
! ing interesting editorial in the Forest and
Stream OF the 9TH inst. Will prove the carp
to be much better fish than Californians
Will admit, although 1t has been proven be-
| yOnd question that rs an edible fish Mr.
! Carp will never Tank as a table luxury in
| this State. The journal says:
Nearly two decades ago, and five years before
the OnIed States Imported the fish from Ger
many, Mr.. j. A. Poppe placed five small earn in
| one of bis ponds 81 SonOma Cal Nine months
later Nlay. 1879 bis stock had grown TO 16
inches In length, and 5000 young were obtained
nom lhr hist breeding. he fish were sold TO
| tanners throughout The State and some were
shpped 10 Central America and The Sandwich
Islands he Increase of the species, especially
| In the marsh or "tue" lands was remark a bic
| and lie demand continued steady. Now reac.
ton appears to have SET In, and most unjustifi.
able style and amount Of abuse is being Ieaued
| uuon rally valuable food fish, which mas also
long held a worthy place among the anglers
fayorltes In countries wherein il was ba.t
known. The qualities which led to the action Of
The Government Ia behalf of carp acclimation
were the following:
i. Fecundlty and adaptability 10 the processes
OF aIilhcidl propagation.
2 Living largely on n vegetable diet
B. Hardness IN all stages If growth,
4. Adapiabniy TO conditions unfayorable to
any equally palatable American fish and 10 very
varied climates.
B. Rapid gro with.
g. Harmlessness in It's relations to other fishes
Z. Ability 10 populate waters to their greatest
extent.
8. Good table qualities.
Ihese properties still exist and no amount OF
unieasonlng prejudice can alter or reduce them
Wien we arc told that the carp is a kind Of
sucker ana sucks the roots out Of the bank. Of
the dliches, causing the banks to wash ont we
are pound 10 reply that California is noted for
Inc variety and siZ- OF its suckers but The earn
IS not one OF Them. The habit referred TO is moi
observed III TIE carp and The real culprt must be
sought IN some other direction. II is grayely as
serted also that the food OF the ducks and other
widow Is consumed by the carp and the game
birds are desefting the marshes in conseuuenceI
AGAIN. u Is charged that the salmon and Trout
waters are being Invaded aud the eggs deyoured
on The spawning beds.
Carp In watyr having a summer temperafnre n 2
b4 degrees would be- about az untimey as or
anges on tDe tundra 4, Point Barrow We shall
next near that The carp has utterly DESTROYED the
salmon industry OF Alaska and driven the seals
out OF hiring Sea AS matter OF fact Califor.
MIA has many native fishes OF the carp or min.
now family, some OF which swarm In the irriqat-
ing dltchts, while others inhabit trout waters
ana certain OF these arc known to be very ds.
structlve OF eggs. In tho Pit and McCloud for
example, may be found O large species OF Pty-
chocnilus. known Ms the Sacramento 'pike'
which Is really giant mlnnow, growing to a
length OF five feet. -
This. or something like 1t, i. probably the n sh
Ior whose sins the carp is now suffering In tie
estimation OF many good people OF California
Before passing final Judgment Gu the subject
sehd some OF the cold water carp and the burfow
lns nuisance 10 some one who knows The fishes
OF the State for Identification. Dr. jordan at
Inc Leland Stanford Jr University will settle all
pleasure In aiding Investigations OF any sort into
The habits OF fishes.