48 



untoward happens, 15,000 dozen, allowing for ordinary- 

 wastage, may be ready for consumption. Not only so, 

 but he is inclined to believe in two spat falls in the year ; 

 this seems to be correct since a fresh set of tiles laid 

 down this June have already (July) a quantity of young 

 oysters ; hence the oyster industry should become a 

 most profitable and successful one both for the fresh 

 oyster trade and, more especially, for the canning, dried 

 oyster, and oyster-extract business. Quantities of 

 brood mussels also settled on the tiles so that the 

 development of an industry in this edible may also be 

 expected. 



Mr. Hornell also drew up during the year a report 

 on marine fish-farming in France and Italy, with sugges- 

 tions for Madras practice ; this report has since been 

 submitted to Government. 



24. Inland pisciciiltuTe and conservancy. — The intro- 

 duction of New Zealand trout to Nilgiri waters was 

 successfully accomplished by Mr. Wilson in November 

 of the previous year, but the growth during the year 

 under report was so considerable and successful 

 that fishing is to begin in the current year 191 1. 

 Mr. Wilson reports extraordinary trout growth, e.g., 

 a 15 months old trout (S. irideus) 15 inches long 

 and 8J inches round the broadest part ; it was also 

 sexually mature ; many others were of nearly similar 

 size. In November 19 10, moreover, Mr. W^ilson 

 introduced ova of wild brown trout (Salmo fario) at his 

 own charge from his hatchery in England, and these 

 were successfully hatched and planted out ; these trout 

 operations however will be reported on by the Collector 

 of the Niigiris. Low country operations were confined 

 {a) to pushing on the construction of the Sunkesula 

 (Kurnool canal) fish farm; ib) the stocking of the 

 Daroji and Barur tanks with carp, etc. ; (<:) the planning 

 of a scheme for stockino- the new reservoir or lake under 

 construction for the Salem town water-supply, and the 

 preparation of items of plant for the same ; the reservoir 

 is not yet ready ; id) the investigation of and drawing 

 up a complete scheme and plans for a fish farm to 

 supply the Kanigiri and other Nellore tanks, or rather 

 storage reservoirs, with good fish ; this was a matter of 

 much labour, but the project is now ready for submission 

 to Government. The project for hatching hilsa has, for 



