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dried fish manure is a necessity ; (2) that when the fish 

 is not oily it is of inferior value as food ; (3) that when 

 fish is deprived of its oil (itself a very valuable commodity) 

 oris non-oily, tiie residue or mass, if skilfully applied as a 

 soil fertiliser, produces more human nutriment in the 

 shape of cereals, etc., than if it were consumed directly, 

 as fish. Hence the method of reducing the fat fish to oil 

 and guano, or the lean fish to ordinary manure, does 

 not necessarily deprive the country of food, but increases 

 the total supply and yields an economic and industrial 

 o-ain. 



7. In this connection it may be conveniently men- 

 tioned here that enquiries in Great Britain and a perusal 

 of agricultural reports showed that fish meal or scrap is 

 very largely used in western countries as food for cattle, 

 poultry, etc. Correspondence ensued in 191 3 with the 

 Colleoe of Aorriculture at Coimbatore and a half-ton 

 parcel of lightly salted and dried lean sardine was sent 

 to the college in April 19 13. The experiments con- 

 ducted there are said to have been very successful, 

 and though no details have been communicated to 

 this department it is understood that a report is being 

 drawn up on the matter. The success or otherwise of 

 the food turns largely on the question of price which 

 is very variable. 



8. Curing, — The year was a bad one for fishermen 

 in general, and our station being without the aid of any 

 deep-sea boats such as those from Ratnagiri, no great 

 advance was made except in two directions, viz., the 

 treatment of fat sardines like Cornish pilchards and the 

 curing of prawns. 



9. Pile hardi sing fat sardines. — In the previous year 

 instructions were sent .out from Cornwall to treat fat 

 sardines as pilchards, viz., to cure and harden the ttn- 

 giitted fish by several weeks in heavy salt (i lb. salt to 3 

 of fish) and then to submit them to pressure in barrels 

 when much of the oil is extracted, and the fish remain as 

 a hard mass in the barrels ; these are largely exported to 

 Italy. It was found that the method was successful, and 

 a very good oil was obtained, but for various reasons 

 the cured fish did not keep properly. The experiment 

 was repeated in the year under report, but the pressure 

 was still insufficient ; the fish, however, kept well for 

 months. Regular pilchard screws for applying pressure 



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