WORTH A BOUNTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 66, 11 December 1907, Page 2

WORTH A BOUNTY.

the utilisation of fish waste. FOR GUANO AND CALF FOOD. Jho weapons of our fishermen are 110 longer to bo turned exclusively against the euiblu fish that inhabit New Zealand waters, llie day has como when tho unodible monsters that decimate our fishing grounds and threaten our limbs when we take sea baths aic to be, in their turn, attacked and slain ?i , Collv , er ' :e J '"to useful commodities iur the benefit' of our farmers. This new industry is but beginning .At Port Chalmers there are now fish manure works in course of erection for tho conversion of refuse fish into soil fertilisers. At Moeraki similar works exist, and the industry has received some consideration at Port Ahuriri. At Matakana a small factory has been orccl'ed by the Now Zealand Industries Company, which has for several years been endeavouring to build up an industry on tho shores of the Hauraki Gulf. The factory is turning out shark-liver oil and fertiliser. Farmers Interested. These industries touch the farmer on many spots. In the manufacture of shark-oil there is provided a valuable substitute for oream in the feeding of calves, to enrich tho skim milk. The demand for this oil for the dairy farmers up north is far greater than tho supply can meet. But, there are good roasons for optimism among the calves .of tho future, for the supplies are increasing. Whether or not shark-liver oil will be—like cod-liver oil—a tubercle-deterrent may be a matter for doubt, but it is not open to question that a good substitute for cream would strengthen tlje constitutions of the dairy herds of the future. Unlimited Scops. In tho creation of a great fish-mnuro industry, New Zealand's opportunities are immense. Our fishing grounds are unlimited, and tho local market for the manufactured articlo is also substantially great. A cheap supply of fish guano and fish bonedust will giv.; a good impetus to our agriculture, _ 'Ihe high fertilising value of fislimanuro is woll known. New Zealand shark scrap has been found by the Government Chomist to contain 10 per cent, of nitrogon, wliioh makes jt about as valuable as dried blood for its nitrogen alone. It would take about 4000 tons of shark scrap per annum to yield tho 400 tons of nitrogonwhieh Now Zealand farmers apply to their land per annum in bone-dust, so that tho scope for profitable shark destruction is very large. The Canadian Government is so impressed with tho importance of keeping down tho sharks in its waters that it lias established works for the manufacture of shark-oil and guano. The Whale Industry. The. whaling industry is languising under tho difficulties it has to moot, and encouragement could well be givon. What we need is not so much the slaughter of whales for the sako of the blubber alone. Wo need to encourage tho conversion of the residue into useful commodities. In Canada, where 1000 whales are doalt with annually, it is found that, tho companies which make full use of by-products pay dividends of 40 and 50 per cent, per annum, while thoso which make use only of tho oil, pay dividends of 6 and 7 per'cent. To, farmers, tho chief by- products are tho.manuros made from the flesh and bones. The frame-bones of an ordinary hump-backed whale weigh from two to tlirco tons, and the flesh would yield from seven to ton tons of.fish-guano. ■ Interesting iWhale -Products;' Apart" froi^''!tHiii';'m&il'iSi i i'al- t products of whales, there are other uses for the different parts of tho carcasej some of which are of quite recent discovery. Whale-oil and whale-bone are well, known. Whale's milk is not now on tho market, although years ago a learned professor proposed that a whnlo should bo moored off the city of Edinburgh and bo milked daily for tho city's supply. The milk, which is -sc-creted for suokling the young, is like soft tallow in density, and orFciusivoly fishy in taste. Whale bono no longer nestles in ladies' corsets, but fulfils a destiny in'tho manufacture of fine feathers and wigs, and in the adulteration and improvement of, Fronch silks Ambergris, valuable for enhancing tho fragrance of scents, and worth £1 an ounce, is' supposed to be a product of disease. This reminds one of amber, which was once thought to be the congoalod tears of seagulls, and pearls, which aro supposed to be created to allay the pain of an injured mussel. Whaleboor is a tasty cannod product in America. It also makes good dog-biscuits. Tho intestines, which aro of onormous oxtont, make a loather which, though not very strong, is oxcellont for artistio work, and dyes woll. It makes capital long-sleeved gloves for ladies. The lip leather is strong enough for tho boot trade. Tho newest discovery is tho valuo of tho whale's hide for leather making. Tho hide measures about 1500 square, feet, and is worth, as leather, 2s. a foot—a total value of £150 for one hide. Tho hido leather is almost tho toughest leather known, and is specially fitted for furnishing motor-cars and othor vehicles, upholstery, etc. The whale industry, which has reached groat proportions in northern waters, is almost untouched in this homisphore, and only slight encouragemont is needed to set it afoot in New Zoaland. Wo understand that at present it is_ in' danger of ontirelv disappearing. Thoro is already in tho north of Now Zealand a firm beginning to utilise : tho whnlo on modem linos, and tlio industry > seems to share, with the sugar-beet industry, a claim to a bonus. Tho Ministers ] of Agriculture and Marine might well con- i sidor tho advisability of. offering a bonus • for, tho first thousand tons of fish-guano of ! specified analysis or for shark-oil and other products, that would, assist our othor primary industries.