The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1913-10-24
COUNT Y
SUPPLIES NEARLY
ALL GOLD FISH
IN UNITED
STATES.
OVER..l5O. ACRES OF GROUND DEVOTED
: TO- INDUSTRY lANDI.UPHARDS OF
$4,000 IS BROUGHT IN ANNUAL
LY-FACTS REGARDING THE
CULTURE.

bULIUhL.
From the little ponds scattered
through Frederick county and care
fully kept for the breeding of gold
fish come fully two-thirds of the gold
fish used in the United States. Go
throughout the length and breadth
of the United States, during the win
ter season, and look in almost any of
the stores where gold fish are kept
and in homes where the glass bowls
commonly used for these fish are
standing. and could 1t only be known,
1t would. in majority Of cases, be
found that these fish come from the
waters of Frederick county Most
of the fish from here are shipped
throughout the west.
Just nov the fish shipping season
is at its height and probably this year
about 100000 gold fish Will go from
Frederick county to all parts of the
Union. The express companies are
now handling the cans by the hundred
and have been for some time This
year the crop generally may be said
to be only about half of the number
usually gathered, and, in some favor
able years. gold fish numbering from
100000 To 100000 have probably |
gone out from Frederick county.
The lizh shipped are usually the
ones which are grown the summer
they are Matched, and the ones aow
going out are the fish which were
Matched rom May 1 and since, and
these fish are separated in groups &C
cording q size. The larger the FISH the
better IL price, and Il gold fish will
grow to - two and three inches lOhs
In one summer.
The fefs tiny fish sell for about
SIS per thousand in lots and tho two
and three inch fish bring about $l3,
these prices being considered about
an average OF course each gear
the producers of these fish have some
brood fl To sell which range from
81 II 50 per hundred II price. the
fish 1t tHsBe figures helping material
ly 10 s#ell the receipts from the
ponds.
Some Of the Large Growers.
Ernest L. Powell, Of IeHiHtown. is
probably the largest fish grower in
Frederick county and 10 doubt in
the nation. having ponds n Lewis
town, Th1rmont and Nondzhoro, ag-
gregatus 4 total of about 80 acres
OF water Probably al the other
producers Of fish In Frederick ooun-
~ do noI have the total acreage that
Mr.. Powell has Charles namHDurg
at Lake View is also an extensive
grower d gold fish and Martin T.
Kefanfer has large ponds n Middle
town aud IN Pennsylvania.
1t Is most probable thai from the
loo acres or more devoted 10 gold
fish culture IN Frederick county that
$4,000 . $4,000 Is taken each year
depending upon the season. Mr..
Powell states that this year ha viii
handle only about 100000 II 100000
gold fish. where in former years he
has sold IS many as 700 ON aud 500
900. lie states he can only attribute
the poor growth this year 10 the
cold spring which was experienced In
this section.
Industry Has lis Trouble.
While the culture Of gold fish APP
pears u De most profitable business,
yet much care must be taken of the
fish aud much work done to insure
a good supply of the fish. The maxi
ing OF the ponds requires much work,
and they must be kept filled with
water. Again should there come a
Hood the gold fish man Is almost at
the mercy of the elements. as he can
not stop flood. and his whole pond
and his stock of fish may be washed
out.
The large or brood fish must be kept
over the winter usually in some deep
pond, where there Is no danger of
20
the spring these fish must be taken
to the various ponds and placed out
at the rate of about 125 to 10 per
acre. These fish then deposit their
eggs about the pond, which In due
time hatch. Beginning then the fish
grower must be on the alert To save
the tiny fish from the rayageg of all
sorts Of pests. Fish are eannibals
and eat quantities of their young.
which cannot be helped. Frogs de-
YOUR the fish by the dozen. Water
snakes are lovers of the tiny fish,
and one fish grower stated he has
killed Watersnakes containing as
many IS IN fish. Turtles are also
great eatela of these fish and they
abound N the mud covered bottoms
OF the fish ponds. Then come the
cranes, fish hawks king fishers and
a dozen other varieties of flying birds
which make speciality Of a diet of
fishes. For the larger varieties the
fishermen give a bounty of 81 and
of the smaller varieties Of % cents
each.
Again the small fish need to be
fed. For this corn meal. middlings
and similar feed are used. these be-
ing dumped into the ponds by the
sacks. Mr.. Powell stated he had
probably used three or four tons of
such feed for his fish.
20 Gol0ring Necessary.
In this country the fish color natur-
ally, there being no need Of the use
of special and shallow ponds in which
to color the fish. In some sections
where gold fish are produced. this
must be done and the expense of
transferring the fish is heavy.
About this time of the year the
ponds are drained gradually of water,
and the fish then settle to the deepest
place IN the pond, which Is at the
outlet. The fish are then caught In
numbers and are sorted and shipped
wherever desired. Mr. Powell states
that he has had the fish IN an urdi-
nary shipping can upon the road for
81 days without any appreeiable loss,
and in other instances the loss has
been extremely heavy IN a shipment
on the road only day or two. Con-
siderable work is required in sorting