254 



THE PEESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



The pilchard fishery cUiring 1875 has not been so prosperous as 

 was anticipated from the result of the summer success. Unfor- 

 tunately the autumn and winter fisheries, from which of late 

 years the greatest number of fish has been supplied, were almost 

 total failures, owing to the "shoals" of pilchards that visited 

 our coasts having been so small. The total quantity of pilchards 

 exported was only 7337|- hogsheads, about 6000 hogsheads of 

 which were caught in drift nets, and the remainder in seines."^'' 

 During the last 60 years, from 1815 to 1875, there have been 

 only 13 smaller exports than last year.f The prices realized in 

 1875 varied from 52/6 for summer fish, to 95/- for winter fish. 



It is not long since the attention of those interested in the 

 Cornish pilchard fisheries was directed to a means of utilizing 

 the small pilchards that are not suited for the foreign markets, 

 and which have hitherto been turned to little account. A com- 

 pany was formed calling itself the ''Cornish Sardine Company," 

 whose object was to make the surplus fish profitable by curing 

 the smaller ones in a manner similar to the French sardines, J 

 and the larger ones, being treated in the same way, were sold as 

 "pilchards in oil." 



Any attempt to create a new source of employment for Cor- 

 nishmen, and to produce a wholesome and cheap article of food 

 for the people is worthy of encouragement. 



The production of vegetables in the western parts of the 

 county, especially in the neighbourhood of Penzance continues, I 

 understand, to be as successful as ever. Some idea of the 

 quantity of early potatoes cultivated for exportation from the 

 neighbourhood of Penzance, may be formed from the fact that 



* See Fox's Pilchard circular, and Bolitho's ditto, for 1875-6. 



Hofi'sheads sent to 



J Some persons suppose the small pilchard and the French sardine to be identical. 



