196 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIII, 



cent, and tat from I to 6 per cent; but herring meal while showing 

 60 to 70 per cent of proteins was deficient in phosphoric acid (3"6 

 to 4*6), and showed a large excess, 10 to 12 percent of oil. The 

 samples from the Tanur yard as analysed at the Imperial Institute 

 averaged 8'5 per cent of nitrogen (53 per cent of proteins), 8"6 per 

 cent of phosphoric acid, and 6'8 per cent of fat. It has not been 

 found possible to experiment with fish meal in this countr3^ but 

 dried fish (sardine) have been tried on heifers at the Agricultural 

 College, Coimbatore ; an account of this experiment will be found 

 in the Agricultural Journal of India, October 1914. 



88. Price. — The price of guano in the United States of America 

 was in 1912 (pre-war) 30 dollars or Rs. 90, at the exchange of is. 

 4d. per rupee, per United States of America ton of 2,000 lb. 

 Stevenson mentions 24 and 26 dollars (Rs. 72 and Rs. 78) per ton : 

 these figures give approximately Rs. lOO, 81, and 88 per British ton. 

 Post-war prices are far higher. In the Madras Presidency the 

 rates have fluctuated and do fluctuate immensely owing to war 

 conditions and the operation of supply and demand. In 1910-II 

 the price was normal, based approximately on manurial values, and 

 ran about Rs. 70 per ton ; this was fair at then prices of fish, 

 labour, fuel, etc. During the war when export was difficult or 

 impossible, quantities were offered— without buyers — as low as 

 Rs. 30 and Rs. 35, but have since been far higher. In any given year 

 it is usual for prices to run fairly low (Rs. 75 to Rs. 90) in the early 

 part of the manufacturing season (September, etc.) when manu- 

 facturers wish to get rid of old stock in preparation for new 

 manufacture, but as the demands then come in from planters, 

 exporters, the Agricultural Department, etc., and possibly condi- 

 tions appear unfavourable (e.g., absence of shoals, want of oil in 

 the fish, etc.) prices may run up to, say, Rs. 120. 



At Rs. 96 per ton the nitrogen at 8 per cent average may be 

 taken as fetching Rs. 10 per unit, leaving Rs. 16 for phosphoric 

 acid at Rs. 2 per unit. This may be compared with the prices of 

 nitrogen and phosphoric acid in other fertilizers such as oil cakes, 

 inorganic (chemical) substances, etc. (see paragraph 86 supra). 



89. Economics of guano manufacture. — In the United States it is 

 considered an economic crime, legally punishable, to convert 

 edible fish into fertilizer; the Coastal States usually provide 

 penalties in their laws, and in Virginia the law provides that any 

 one netting for such manufacture a catch containing more than 



