A25 



additions. The small generator was self-devised and 

 made, and has made some 62 gallons of very pure 

 aromatic vinegfar at below the cost of local vinegar but 

 of double the strength. Compared with British vinegar 

 it is about the price of such vinegar delivered in Madras 

 in normal times but should easily be made at half such 

 price. Owing to inexperience, to the imperfections 

 of the generator, but above all to the great heat of 

 the climate and of the improvised vinegar room and 

 consequent undue fermentation-heat in the generator, 

 the process, so far, has been unduly wasteful, though 

 successful in result and fairly successful in cost notwith- 

 standing the abovemenlioned and many other difficulties, 

 including the great cost of the rectified (though duty-free) 

 spirit at Tanur, the necessary wastage in petty opera- 

 tions by want of skill and practice, and the undue retail 

 cost of the materials added to the alcoholic base. 

 Perhaps the climate has been the worst trouble, for 

 with 90"^ to 95° F. as atmospheric temperature there is 

 little margin for the necessary fermentative increase of 

 temperature, since the maximum permissible limit in the 

 generator is 104° F. Consequently much alcohol was 

 probably wasted as volatile aldehyde, while the acetic 

 acid produced was possibly further decomposed after 

 formation. 



Experiments in this and in the slow process will be 

 further conducted during the current year both at Tanur 

 and Coonoor, but the attention of Messrs. Parry & Co. 

 has been invited to the matter, since every condition 

 will be more favourable in a vinegar factory attached 

 direct to a great distillery with weak spirit, plant, and 

 skilled supervision abundantly available. 



9. Glue. — An attempt was made to make fish-glue 

 from various waste parts of the fish cured in the yard, 

 but the quantities available were small — partly owing to 

 the nature of the season — and sufficient attention could 

 not be paid to the matter which was (partly) suggested 

 by an application from a cotton mill for good fish-glue. 

 This will be carefully considered during the current 

 year. 



Small consignments of shark skin — a by-product — 

 have been supplied to the Police Department for sword 

 handles, etc. 



