90 



(r) the proper season at which to place the 

 collectors in position, 



(d) the age at which detroquage should take place, 



(e) the special enemies and dangers besetting 

 brood and adult oysters in the Pulicat parks, and the 

 best methods to ensure protection against such dangers, 



(/) the conditions and localities in the Lake most 

 favourable to rapid growth and fattening, 



(V) the manner in which the adult oysters may 

 best be prepared for market and conveyed in good 

 condition to their destination. 



Finally special attention must be given to the devising 

 of means for carrying out all operations with a minimum 

 of expense in order that the price at which the oysters 

 reach the consumers shall be low enough to create a 

 large demand and yet yield a margin of profit to the 

 culturist sufficiently large to induce some of the people 

 of the district to enter upon oyster culture upon similar 

 lines. In this connection I trust that preference may be 

 given to small men rather than to the capitalist ; this 

 is the principle adopted by the French Government in 

 its administration of the oyster parks of Arcachon, and, 

 as I have shown, it has resulted in the creation of 

 thousands of small holdings worked in large part by the 

 families of renters. The majority of the men are 

 proprietors and not day-labourers as are English oyster- 

 fishers and the result is that Arcachon oystermen are both 

 better circumstanced and of greater independence and 

 enterprise than their English brethren who have usually 

 no special interest in their work save the wage they earn. 

 It will however be time enough to consider the 

 conditions of rental and the safeguards to be imposed 

 against the monopolist after experiments shall have 

 demonstrated oyster culture to be economically successful 

 in this country. I foresee difficulties but I do not believe 

 them to be insurmountable. 



Tuticorin, JAMES HORNELL, 



j J st January igio. Marine A-ssL, Fishery Bureau, 



