8 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



being fished in a methodical manner. At the next fishery I propose to introduce 

 further improvements in this flag system, among others the marking of the flags 

 individually with distinctive numbers and signs. 



" Discovery of Brood Oysters on the Periya Paar. The advertised date of opening the 

 fishery found but a handful of divers assembled at the Fishery Camp at Marichchu- 

 kaddi. The commencement being in consequence postponed, I took the opportunity 

 afforded to examine the Periya Paar, and ascertained that over an area measuring 

 at least 5 miles in length by Ij miles in width the bank bore its accustomed 

 brood of young oysters.* As oysters have but once come to maturity upon any 

 part of this paar during the past century, and that but a small patch, I hastened 

 to recommend to Government a wholesale transplantation to the Eastern Cheval 

 the area cleared of oysters during the 1903 fishery requesting the use of the dredging 

 steamer for the purpose. This was granted, and I inspected a likely area on the 

 East Cheval and laid down on the selected ground a set of five mark buoys for the 

 guidance of the Master of the ' Ready' when engaged upon the distribution of the 

 dredged oysters. Unfortunately for these plans, the dredger, by reason of rough 

 weather, was able to put in but 2^ days at this work prior to April 9th, on 

 which date I received instructions to place the ' Ready ' at Mr. DIXON'S disposal 

 for the purpose of dredging mature oysters, and when, later on, the vessel again 

 reverted to me, continuous bad weather had set in, rendering it impossible to work 

 upon the exposed Periya Paar. As a consequence I had to cancel the cultching 

 arrangements I had made to prepare the ground, and transplanting operations are in 

 consequence postponed probably for at least a year. 



" With regard to the future need of transplantation, 1 can but endorse Professor 

 HERDMAN'S reiterated statement that in this lies the time salvation of the pearl 

 banks. This being so, if Government approves of such recommendation, it will be 

 absolutely necessary, in order to ensure success, to give me permission to arrange for 

 and carry out an extensive programme of transplantation and cultching and to 

 provide me with adequate means for the purpose, that is to say, I should have a 

 dredging steamer at my disposal from the very date of finding young oysters fit for 

 transplanting, and this steamer should be devoted solely to this work for the whole of 

 the fine weather available and suitable for dredging. Only by transplantation on the 

 greatest possible scale can success be assured. We have to remember the largeness 

 of the object in view nothing less tha.n the formation of a bed of oysters of sufficient 

 extent to allow for extensive wastage, due to a dozen different causes, and after 

 such wastage to give a fishery of mature oysters calculable in millions. 



" Necessity for Extensive Cultching. Our observations show that the sections of the 

 Cheval and Modragam paars giving the finest oysters and the most valuable pearl- 

 yield are those possessing a well-cultched sandy surface, with somewhat restricted 

 rocky outcrops. Unfortunately such areas are comparatively limited in extent, and 

 t The condition of these oysters will be discussed further on. 



