l86 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIII, 



his client especially if he is able to sell direct to planters or culti- 

 vators. Hence the admixture of sand has become a scandal ; the 

 coastal firms buy from manufacturers or middlemen on the basis 

 of a presumed and permissible or necessary contents of 3 per cent 

 sand, with reductions for any excess ; since they, of course, know 

 what they are buying the price they pay at best is, of course, not 

 the normal value based on the manurial value of an absolutely 

 pure article, but a reduced price based on the presumption of 3 per 

 cent admixture of sand, 



80. It is understood that consignments were sent abroad in 

 1919-20 direct by manufacturers or their agents with results, owing 

 to excess of sand, that may well destroy the reputation of the 

 article (and incidentally that of the shippers) and ruin a promis- 

 ing trade. Indeed, the facts of 1920-21 show this very result; 

 notwithstanding a very short supply of fish which, in a reliable, 

 honest trade, would mean high prices owing to a competitive 

 demand, the prices were much loiver than normal by reason of a 

 very weak inquiry for the guano ; this short demand is expressly 

 stated to be due to the gross adulteration with sand in previous 

 years, especially in 1919-20, insomuch that in some cases European 

 firms refused to take delivery of guano which, by reason of sand 

 admixture, was not even up to sample ; it is also stated that a con- 

 signment sent to Japan was refused admission to the country 

 owing to similar adulteration. One consequence of this destruc- 

 tion or at least partial breakdown of a promising manufacture is 

 that some factory owners abandoned the manufacture and reverted 

 to the old practice of sun-drying the whole fish on the beach ; such 

 fish obtained higher prices, by even Rs. 10 per ton, than the guano 

 partly because buyers cannot rely on guano to sample or reason- 

 ably free from adulteration ; the price ran at only Rs. 50 to Rs. 75 

 per ton ex factory. It must, however, be noted that one reason for 

 not boiling the fish for guano was the extreme leanness of the fish 

 and consequent want of oil, so that it was cheaper to sun-dry than tc 

 go to the labour and expense of boiling and pressing the fish with- 

 out commensurate return in oil ; 5 per cent of oil is stated as the 

 maximum output from the fattest fish. 



For further remarks on this matter see belov/ s.v. " Adulteration " 

 and " Co-operation." 



81. Manurial value. — As shown above fish guano practically 

 contains only nitrogen (about 8 per cent), and phosphoric acid 



