GENERAL SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 119 



temporarily, and possibly some parts even permanently, unsuitable for the attachment 

 and rearing of oysters. 



We may consider, then, the whole pearl-bank plateau of the Gulf of Manaar as 

 potentially paar-ground, some parts of it better suited for one purpose and some for 

 another, some parts more constantly covered by the shifting sands, others more 

 regularly bare and hard. It is this condition that gives man his opportunity and 

 renders possible the farming operations, such as cultching and transplanting, which 

 we urge in our Recommendations. 



The history of the pearl fisheries in the past, especially during the nineteenth 

 century (see Part II., p. 1), has shown that : 



1st. A number of the smaller paars, which are hard patches of limited extent 

 largely covered with living corals, are practically worthless from an economic point 

 of view. 



2nd. Some parts, such as the Periya Paar, might be used as most valuable sources 

 of supply of young brood oysters for transplantation, but cannot be relied upon to 

 produce an adult stock suitable for fishing. 



3rd. Others again, such as the great Cheval Paar with its various subdivisions, 

 and the North and South Modragams, the Periya Paar Karai, and the Muttuvaratu 

 Paar, are very valuable and fairly reliable grounds, upon which most of the successful 

 fisheries of the past century have taken place. Others, such as Chilaw, Dutch 

 Modragam, Alantura and Karativu, are less reliable, but may be valuable on occasions, 

 and are also of importance as sources of spat-production available for transplantation. 



It became clear to us during our work on the ' ( Lady Havelock" in 1902 when 

 we understood why it is that the Periya Paar is unreliable and the Cheval Paar so 

 much more satisfactory that the main hope of introducing some constancy of result 

 and a more regular succession of fisheries must rest upon a system of transplanting 

 young " strikes " or broods of oysters, whenever they make their appearance upon 

 useless or unreliable paars, to wherever there is room for them at the time upon 

 ground that is more certain to give them a better chance of living and growing to 

 maturity. 



Speaking generally, the Cheval appears to be the most reliable of these areas, and 

 more especially its south, south-east, and mid-east sections. Whenever possible, the 

 brood oysters, to replenish the Cheval Paar, should be brought from the Periya Paar, 

 which is most suitable by reason of its proximity, the frequent spat falls thereon, and 

 the impossibility of such spat growing to maturity on its own area. Next to the 

 Periya Paar the most suitable grounds from which to obtain spat are the many small 

 paars off Chilaw. Like the Periya Paar, these paars seldom bring their oysters to a 

 fishable age, and when they do, the numbers and value are comparatively insignificant. 

 But in the economy of the banks they have importance as sources whence the Cheval 

 may be replenished. They should be utilised whenever the Periya Paar is not 



