131 



if not further required. A secondary use would be to 

 keep fish sound while waiting for treatment, so as to 

 avoid loss by taint and unnecessary purchases from the 

 fishermen. I can obtain this at a moment's notice when 

 required. 



64. Mealing plant. — Regular experiment in this 

 process may stand over for the present, though, if 

 opportunity offers, simple methods will be tried with 

 inexpensive plant. I am in correspondence with a 

 London firm regarding the process and plant found 

 necessary in Europe, etc. I make no estimate at 

 present. 



65. Oyster culture. — For the current year operations 

 will be confined to observation and the selection of a site 

 or sites and their acquirement, and expenditure is hardly 

 expected unless for obtaining and protecting the areas ; 

 if time permits, cleaning operations may be begun and 

 spat'collectors placed in position."* 



66. Pearl button plant. — I have not as yet procured 

 this plant, but am corresponding in view to obtaining it. 

 It is not generally known that pearl shell, a by-product 

 of the pearl fisheries, is exported from Ceylon in enor- 

 mous quantities every year ; in 1906 the export was 

 13,800 cwt., of which Germany took more than half, 

 Japan about 1,150 cwt. and Great Britain only 922 cwt. ; 

 in ten months of 1907 the exports were 10,575 cwt., of 

 which Germany took 7,002. These are for common pearl 

 button-making, and of course only perfect shells are worth 

 sending ; allowing for breakages and useless portions 

 possibly half of the weight of the shell sent is actually 

 utilised for button-makino-, so that freight and other 

 charges are paid on a mass of useless material. The 

 shells are sent in bag-s or wooden cases ; if sent in baQ-s 

 the packing cost is less than if in cases, but breakage is 

 considerable. But it actually pays to send pearl oyster 

 shell to, say, Germany and the United States of America, 

 to pay cost of packing, freight, breakage, agency charges, 

 etc., and to work them up by expensive labour into cheap 

 pearl buttons which are again sent out here for sale. 



* There is now a successful though experimental oyster farm at Pulicat, 

 established and run by Mr. James Horoell, Marine Biologist and Assistant in the 

 department. 



9- A 



