59 



These small factories at present wisely limit them- 

 selves to — and indeed the plant in use is only calculated 

 for — the production of crude brown oil ; in fact, the 

 nearest large market, viz., the jute industry in Calcutta, 

 prefers this class of oil and does not desire the removal 

 of the stearine. Hence owing- to the development of 

 the local industry, the experimental station has nothing 

 further to do in the matter of the crude brown oil. But 

 there is an immense and better-priced market for finer 

 oils, especially if refined and deodorized, and the station 

 has consequently adapted its plant, as mentioned above, 

 to secure only light-coloured oil, to separate the oil and 

 stearine by means of a filter press, and to refine the oil ; 

 a special laboratory plant for experiments in deodorizing 

 has also been personally obtained, while enquiries now 

 being made in England are expected to give material 

 help. Some of the best oil has been supplied gratis to 

 local medical men, who have used it internally in various 

 cases and who consider it probably a useful substitute for 

 other oils, but this is a matter on which the station can 

 give no opinion, save that the oil is far less unpalatable 

 than some country oils. The better class oil is in 

 demand for leather factories, e.g., in Cawnpore, and for 

 paint and colour works : medicinally there may be a 

 field for its use, and, if thorougn deodorizatiori is 

 possible, it will be edibly useful. 



1 6. Pisciciilttire — Fresh water. — This is the special 

 province of our piscicultural expert, Mr. H.C.Wilson. 

 His skilful work on the Nilgiris has resulted in the 

 complete establishment of trout (chiefly S. Irideus but 

 partly S. fario) in the higher waters ; the fisheries were 

 opened to anglers about the end of August 191 1 and 

 many fish, the largest weighing 5^ lb., were taken. The 

 head of fish now in the ^waters is large and valuable, 

 while the license fees were considerable although the 

 fishing was opened near the end of the season. 



17. The conservation of the upper waters of the 

 Moyar and Bhavani was continued and Mr. Wilson 

 reports very perceptible improvement in the stock of fish 

 since illegal practices (use of fixed engines, dynamiting, 

 etc.) were checked. These illegalities were largely the 

 work of gangs of men who come up for the purpose, 

 not of the local tribes. This work and that of stocking 

 the Nilgiri waters with trout are under the Collector of 



