1 64 



bad weather this latter boat was seriously damaged, delay 

 was experienced in repairing it, the crew got discouraged 

 and abandoned the enterprise ; so far this part of the 

 idea has not worked successfully and the methods will 

 have to be reorganized. 



A motor launch was sanctioned for the cannery and 

 station work and will probably be built during 191 7-18. 



12. Certain other experiments in the better preserva- 

 tion of canned prawns and in canning methods are in 

 hand and will be further possible with the greater leisure 

 shortly, it is hoped, to be available to myself. 



13. From want of leisure, the solar oven experiments 

 were not developed as intended. But the simple 

 addition (i) of tin plate reflectors fixed on the sides of 

 the oven at an angle of 45° so as to throw the Sun's rays 

 into the box, (2) of a turn table and mounting which 

 enables the glass surface of the oven to be kept per- 

 pendicular to the rays at all hours, has frequently 

 produced an internal temperature up to 310° F. which is 

 ample for my purpose, viz., that of stoving my lacquered 

 tins, while it gives promise of much greater results 

 presently in other directions ; the method gives not only 

 a higher temperature but a much longer period than 

 formerly of the higher temperatures. 



14. Deep sea work. — Except for the Ratnagiri boats 

 mentioned above, which stayed out several days at a 

 time, no real deep sea work was possible owing to the 

 war and consequent inability to obtain ship or men. 



15. Work of the Pisciciilttiral Expert (Mr. H. C. 

 Wilson). — Owing to the lamented death by cholera of 

 Mr. Wilson at Kurnool on the nth April 1917, the 

 report for the year has been drawn up by Mr. B. 

 Sundara Raj, m.a., Piscicultural Assistant. The chief 

 operations were the Sunkesula fish farm with an addition 

 known as the Pudur scheme sanctioned during the year, 

 the hilsa hatchery on the Coleroon, the stocking of an 

 increased number of tanks, the starting of the Ippur fish 

 farm (Nellore district) mainly for larvicides and for the 

 breeding of gourami and other valuable fish, the accli- 

 matization of tench, the breeding offish, chiefly Etroplus 

 and larvicides, in a series of ponds at the old Powder 

 Factory, Madras, where gourami are also placed, the 



