^6 



putrefaction does not cease till the fish is stone-dry ; 



hence, in a tropical climate where decomposition is 



extremely rapid and persistent, desiccation should be as 



rapid, continuous, and complete as possible. Now, as 



at present conducted, it is not rapid ; the sun may be 



powerful but its effect is discounted by the atmosphere 



which is always moist to some and often to a large 



degree ; the fiercer heat only obtains between, say, 



lo A.M. and 4 p.m., and is moderate during the other 



hours of daylight ; at best, the temperature of the rays, 



say, from lOo" to 145"^ F. according to the season and 



the time of the day, is insufficient to rapidly dry a very 



watery article such as fish direct and undrained from 



the salting trough. Moreover the heat is seriously 



discontinuous, since from 6 p.m. to 7 or 8 a.m., the sun 



is not available ; consequently, since the putrefactive 



process continues so long as the fish is moist (for the 



salt at best merely delays putrefaction when once the 



fish is removed from the salting trough) this process 



continues during the first day, proceeds during the long 



night, and is only stopped when the article is thoroughly 



dry, i.e., not till the end of the second or third day of 



drying. In fact, since fish contains from 75 to 80 per 



cent, by weight of water in its tissues and has lost only 



40 per cent, on leaving the yard, it is clear that the 



putrefactive process must have been acting, though 



perhaps slightly, throughout the curing operations, and 



must continue subsequently if no further precautions are 



taken ; probably no amount of mere sun-drying affords 



such desiccation as is a complete precaution in the tropics. 



25. In my final reports * existing methods will be 



detailed which enable salting to be 



Improvements suggested carried out more quickly and effect- 

 or possible. .1 1 1 ^"^ 1 . 



ively and subsequent desiccation 

 more thoroughly but there is no reason why the present 

 practice should not, at an early date, be quickened as well 

 as varied. The drying grounds might be made more 

 effective if formed into barbecues and it vvould not be 

 difficult to combine solar and artificial heat so that drying 

 might be not only more rapid but even, and continuous 

 through the night. The several smoking processes not 

 only smoke and flavour, but rapidly dry and preserve fish, 



* Bulletin III (Preservation and cure of fish) deals more fully with fish curing ; 

 a revised edition is now (1915) under preparation. 



