^73 



possible in Arcachon and other parts of France, as well 

 as Italy, it is possible in the still more favourable condi- 

 tions of this presidency. Provided that the general 

 water-way is unobstructed there are tens of thousands of 

 acres of perennial water, unencumbered by vested rights 

 or interests which can be turned into productive fish- 

 farms at slight expense ; slight, that is, as compared 

 with probable results and with subsequent annual ex- 

 penditure. The property in these waters is mostly 

 vested in Government who can assign areas, on lease or 

 otherwise for cultivation as properly as areas of arable 

 land, and should the expected success attend our experi- 

 ments, it will be a subsequent duty to ascertain 

 conveniently placed areas suitable for private farming. 

 Considerable fishery produce is already obtained 

 especially in several of the backwaters such as Chilka 

 lake, Pulicat, Cochin, etc., these fisheries, however, are 

 simply in a state of nature, and were the system of taking 

 in common the mere natural produce of these waters to 

 give place to enclosure and cultivation, there can be no 

 doubt but that the produce would increase as vastly as 

 the produce obtained by the enclosure of arable com- 

 mons. In pages yy to 83 of his report Mr. Hornell 

 shows, in fact, that several of the main conditions of 

 successful fish-farming are more favourable in this 

 Presidency than in Europe, such as the much larger 

 variety of prime fish suitable for growth in enclosures 

 (see paragraph 10 hijra), the warmth of the waters 

 leading to abundance of minute life and consequently to 

 rapid growth of the fish, the absence of a rigorous winter 

 when orrowth is at a stand-still, and so on. Having, 

 then, the water, the fish and the favourable conditions, it 

 is obvious that the application of intelligent experiment 

 should — I might almost say must — resuk in success. 



10. Assuming that fish-farming is both important 

 and possible, it remains to consider what fish are most 

 suitable. Here Mr. Hornell's practical and scientific 

 knowledge are already of the first importance ; his 

 remarks are contained in pages ^^ to yy of his report. 

 Knowledge of the fish found suitable in European 

 waters for growth in quasi-confinement gives a starting 

 point for our own investigations. Those fish are eel, 

 mullet, smelts and bass, and a sprinkling of other fish ; 

 those named are the chief ones, especially the three first 



