2U6 



The Supplement to the Tropical griculturist 



A NEW INDUSTRY FOR INDIA. 



In our issue of Nov. 5tb (p. 117) we stated 

 that it might interest those concerned to know 

 that a London firm was prepared to pay as much 

 as 12s per lb for dried sheep gut, by which is 

 meant the long intestine of the sheep, cleaned, 

 split, and dried on frames. The labour in con- 

 nection with this industry, we said, was believed 

 to be insignificant ; and we added that, as the 

 product required was probably often wasted in 

 this country, the matter seemed to be worthy of 

 attention, particularly so as the price offered 

 seemed to be quite liberal. This paragraph 

 attracted considerable attention in India and 

 Burma, as well as in some Native States. The 

 fact seems to be that hitherto, in many parts of 

 India, sheep gut has been wasted simply because 

 no market was known to exist for it, and appar- 

 ently no particular efforts were made to dis- 

 cover one. As an instance of this, it may be 

 here recorded, on the authority of Mr. R Burn, 

 I.C.S., District Officer of Gonda, who has written 

 to us on the subject, that at the time the para- 

 graph appeared in the "Indian Trade Journal 1 ' 

 sheep gut was selling in his district at from 

 2 pice (|d) to 1 anna 3 pies (l|d) per seer of 2-06 

 lb. There is reason to believe a similar state 

 of affairs exists in very many other districts in 

 India, and more particularly perhaps in Burma. 



The numerous letters we have received on 

 this subject show, we think, that there 

 are in India both readiness and ability to 

 engage in this particular industry ; but 

 it is evident that the persons interested in 

 the matter have no adequate knowledge as to 

 how the gut should be handled and prepared 

 in order to suit the requirements of European 

 markets. This difficulty we shall now endea- 

 vour to remove ; and, what is perhaps more im- 

 portant, expand the scope of the industry by 

 the inclusion of cattle gut, cattle tail hair, and 

 lamb gut. Cattle gut is composed (a) of a long 

 curly gut measuring about 30 yards ; (b) a 

 straight gut measuring 10 to L2 yards ; (c) a bung 

 measuring from 1 to U yards, and (d) a throat 

 of weasand of about 1 yard. As regards («), this 

 should be cleaned and scraped soon after the 

 animal is slaughtered. It is then blown, or filled 

 with air, either by a pipe-stem blower, 

 or a steam blower, the ends of the gut, 

 of course, being tied to keep the air in. 

 Next it is placed ovor rope lines to dry in 

 the open. The drying process is completed 

 quickly in India. The gut is then deflated by 

 pricking the tied ends with a pin, and is placed 

 in a suitable chamber or box where a vessel con- 

 taining a fair quantity of powdered sulphur is 

 kept burning for at least 12 hours. This treat- 

 ment renders the gut immune against moths, 

 etc. It is then made up into hanks of 20 yards, 

 in one or two pieces; or in balls of 200 yards, and 

 is then packed in pressed bales containing 

 10,000 yards which is equivalent to 500 hanks 

 or 50 balls. Th» canvas cover should be lined 

 with strong tar-coated packing paper. We can 

 furnish the address of a London firm which is 

 prepared to take 50 pressed bales per month 

 and pay as much as £12 per bale according to 

 colour, width, length, strength, #tc. Tho narrow- 



er this gut is, the more value it has. As to (6), 

 this should be scraped and cleaned as in the 

 case of (a), but should not be blown or dried. 

 On the contrary, it should be thoroughly salted, 

 made up into hanks of 16 yards and packed in 

 tierces of about 200 hanks with a sufficient 

 amount of salt or pickle to act as a preservative. 

 The market value is from Is. to Is. Id. per hank 

 according to colour, width, strength, flaying, 

 length, etc., but in this case the wider the gut the 

 more value it has. The bungs (c) are scraped and 

 salted, as in the previous case, and made into 

 bundles of 10 pieces and shipped in tierces con- 

 taining an unlimited number. The value varies 

 from 12s. to 15s. per hundred pieces. The wea- 

 sand (d) is thoroughly cleaned, blown and dried 

 as in the case of (a), and is then packed in bales 

 of 50 bundles, each containing 25 pieces. The 

 value varies from about 8s. to 10s. per 100 pieces. 



Now as to sheep gut. By this is meant the 

 long curly gut measuring about 30 yards. If 

 fairly wide, say about finch or above, it should 

 be scraped, cleaned and salted and then made 

 into bundles of 100 yards, composed of long 

 strands well sprinkled with salt and pickle ana 

 placed in air-tight tierces of about 100 bundles. 

 The value of this article varies from Is. 9d. to 

 2s, 6d. per bundle. 



The wider the gut, the higher the price. If, 

 however, the gut is only narrow, it should be 

 treated as lamb gut, which, after being cleaned 

 and slit open throughout its entire length, is 

 placed on wooden frames and dried in the open 

 air. It is then packed in hanks of about 2 lb. 

 and put in tin-lined cases of 100 bundles with a 

 thorough sprinkling of naphthaline balls to pre- 

 serve it against vermin. In this case the value 

 varies from 7s. to 12s. per lb. according to colour, 

 length and strength. In the matter of sheep and 

 lamb gut the London firm we have referred to 

 is prepared to purchase all the goods of this 

 class that may be offered ; but dealers on the 

 look out for top prices should bear in mind 

 that special care must be taken when cleaning 

 the gut not to cut holes in the skin, or to affect 

 its strength by over-scraping. 



By cattle tail hair is meant the hair clipped 

 off the end of the tail, washed, thoroughly dried 

 and packed, preferably in a hydraulic press, into 

 bales about 3 cwt. The market value of this is 

 about Is. per lb. according to length, colour 

 and condition. A light colour is preferred. 

 With these particulars before them, we trust 

 that those interested in this special trade will 

 be able to supply the London market with 

 exactly the class of goods that is required. 

 — Indian Trade Journal, JaD, 14. 



A SIMPLE MOSQUITO TRAP. 



Mr. Lefroy of the Indian Entomological De- 

 partment has devised a simple and cheap mos- 

 quito trap, which is said to have been found 

 highly effective. A small box, 12 by 9 inches, 

 fitted with a hinged lid, is provided with a 

 small opening over which moves a sliding cover. 

 The box is lined with dark green baize and 

 has a tin floor. The trap is placed in a shady 



