212 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



"The patent held or claimed by the Qaiunipiac Company is understood 

 to be 'for drying by solar heat upon an elevated platform.' If a patent 

 be granted for this, why not for drying salted fish upon an elevated flake, 

 or for drying clothes on an elevated line, by solar heat? From various 

 sources, I learn that the fish guano prepared by this method gives high 

 satisfaction.* 



"Prof. S. W. Johnson, of Yale College, chemist to the Connecticut 

 State Agricultural Society, informs me that the article prepared by the 

 Quiuuipiac Company is the most popular fertilizer sold in that State. 



" To sum up in a word the results of my investigations and experi- 

 ments regarding the manufacture of a j)ortable, inoffensive, and efficient 

 manure from fish or fish offal, 1 may say that 1 deem the same practica- 

 ble ; that no costly machinery or complicated processes are required; 

 that all which is necessary is, first, to cook the fish sufficiently to coagu- 

 late the albumen contained in it ; then to express as much of the oil 

 and water as may be, and to dry the remainder as quickly and thoroughly 

 as possible, A pickling of the fish first with salt would i)robably facili- 

 tate the operation. 



" It is confidently hoped that the waste of such enormous quantities 

 of fertilizing material as have hitherto been thrown will not much longer 

 go on, but that they may be converted to use, feed our hungry fields, 

 and fill our barns with plenty." 



Early manufacture in France. 



283. Turning again to the manufacture of fish manures in Europe, we 

 note that the process of De Molon, referred to above, is described by 

 Deherain ( ^Yurz Diet., ch. 1, 123G) as follows : " The fish are first boiled, 

 then pressed to force out the water and oil ; the residue is then dried 

 and ground in a mill." De Molon's first factory, was at Concarneau, 

 Department of Finisterre. He seems to have established others on 

 the English coast and in Newfoundland, in company with Thurneyssen. 

 From disconnected statements in different works to which I have had 

 access, the industry on the French coast seems to have suffered from 

 lack of material. A company, " Credit Mobilier," into whose hands 

 the enterprise fell, attempted to use city refuse with it, but through 

 business complications, stock speculations, etc., the whole undertaking 

 failed. 



About the same time that De Molon introduced his method of manu- 

 facture in France, Pettit and Green patented another process in England 

 (1852), the peculiar feature of which was " the use of sulphuric acid, 

 which was added to change its consistence." After treatment with the 

 acid, the fish was dried in hot air. 



*Accordiug to Mr. Boardman, Mr. C. G. Allen, of Camclen, Me., was engaged in 18G2 

 in making lish guano from "pogy chum," by drying it in the sun. (Rept. U. S. Dept. 

 Ag., 18G-2, p. 57.) 



