September i, 1885.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURISf. 



177 



DAEJEELING TEA COMPAf.Y, LINJITED. 



At the twentieth orjinary geueral meeting of this Com- 

 pany the following report was adopted : — The directors beg 

 leave to submit their Twentieth Annual Keport on the oper- 

 ations of the Oonipany during the past year. The weather 

 during the manufacturing season of 18S4 was most variable 

 and unfavourable fortheproductionof large quantities of 6ue 

 leaf, and consequently the tea made was far below the amount 

 expected by the manager, at Darjeeling when he prepared 

 his estimate of the crop. For the same reason the quality 

 of the tea at times was rather disappointing ; some invoices 

 were, however, received possessing tine flavour, and realized 

 excellent prices. The average rainfall on the plantation 

 during the past three s,;asous, up to the 9th November 

 in each year, was 118 inches in 1882, 91 inches in 1883, 

 and only 73 inches in 1884. 



The great depression in the value of all Colonial produce 

 that has existed so long, has also been keenly felt in the 

 tea market, and, under such adverse circumstances, the 

 results that have been realized, as indicated below, must 

 be considered to be of a satisfactory character to all parties 

 interested in the company's affairs. The directors would 

 desire especially to draw attention to the large savings 

 effected in the expenditure in 18S4, as compared with that 

 in 1883, and this was accomplished without in any way 

 diminishing the elUciency of the labour staff, or curtailing 

 the necessary operations on the plantations: on the c*)n- 

 trary, the plantations and everything connected with them 

 have been maintained in the highest state of efficiency, and 

 many iirportant improvements of a permanent character 

 have been carried out. The cash receipts in 18S4 have 

 fallen short of those in 1833 by about £2.734, but on the 

 other hand, the general expenditure in 1884, as mentioned 

 above, was less than that in 1383 by £2,259, so that the 

 gross profits realized in 1884 have been only £475 less than 

 in 1883. 



The following comparative statements show at a glance 

 the operations of the Company during the past three 

 years : — 



Total Outturn of Tea, and Cost at Plantations. 



lb. per 

 Acre. 

 369 

 303 

 298 

 Gross Expenditure and Cost per lb. of Tea after deducting 

 the Difference in the Kates of E.xchange. 

 Inl882, £27,256 ... cost per lb. Os 11 82d 

 „ 1H83, £25,401 ... „ Is l-17d 



„ 1884, £23,767 ... „ Is 18d 



Account Sales, Weight of Tea, Average Prices, and 

 Proceeds. 

 Id 1882, 553,027 lb. at .. Is 3-33d...£3.5,3.36 



,,1833,463,681,, at ... Is 6 59d...£35,927 



„ 1S81, 468,239 „ at ... Is 5-4 Id ..£33,975 



The directors beg leave to recommend to the members the 

 declaration of a dividend at the rate of 7 percent, free of 

 Income Tax. payable on and after the 1 1th May, 1885. After 

 providing for this dividend a balance will remain on the 

 profit and loss statement for 1884 of £782 16s 3d, which will 

 be carried to the credit of the re.serve fund. 

 hividends Iteclaied. 

 On 1882 Crop of Tea 6 per cent. 

 .. 1883 „ 74 „ 



,. 1384 „ 7 ., 



The total sums set aside from the profits as a reserve 

 fund, amount to £4,057 17s 2d. The manager at Dar- 

 jeeling has prepared estimates for 18S5, on the basis that 

 far average weather will prevail throughout the season; 

 a diminished rainfall, similar to that experienced during 

 the past season, must necessarily upset an estim ite pre- 

 pared in this way, but under favourable conditions the 

 estimated quantity of tea ouijht to be produced. The 

 estimated crop of tea and expenditure in ISS.i shows the 

 total crop at 520.000 lb, and the total cost 179,694 rupees. 

 Mr. John Farlpy L"itli and Mr. Henry Smith retire from 

 the direction by rotation on this occasion, and being eligible, 

 they beg to offer themselves for re-election as directors of 

 the Company. Mr. John W. Roberts, the auditor of the 

 Company, begs to offer himself for re-eloction for the en- 

 suing yeas.— Indian Tea Gazelle. 

 23 



ASSAM AND JOREHOUP TEA COMPANIK.S' . 

 The Annual General Meeting of the above conipai y 

 was held a few days ago, at 5. Lawrenoe-laua, Pouut- 

 ney-hill. Cannon-street, Mr. \V. Prideaux presiding. 

 The Re|>ort presented by the directors set forth that 

 the profit amounted to £27,520, out of which they 

 proposed a dividend of fourti-en percen^ for the year, 

 and to carry forward £1,376 19-<. 6d. lu mov.ng 

 the adoption of the Rep.jrt, the Chairniau referred to 

 the low price of tea which had prevailed during the 

 year, observing that it was attributable, he thoupht, 

 to the inferiority of the quality of the growth. The 

 c^use of this had been inquired into, and he felt con- 

 fident that the cause was not likely to be oue of a 

 permanent character. In fact, on June 14th, he received 

 an encouraging telegram from the acting superintendent 

 stating that he had obtained 41,000ib. of tea mora 

 than in the corresponding period of last year and 

 there was reason to believe that a much larger crop 

 would bo gathered in the year than in 1884, at a lower 

 rate of expenditure. After a short discussion the 

 report was adopted. 



The Annual Report of the directors of the Jorehaut 

 Tea Company (L mited) states that the quantity of 

 tea manufactured in 18S4 was l,'20G,G77lb., being 

 RI6 4631b. in excess of the quantity made in 1883, 

 and only 9,3231b. below the estimate prepared by their 

 superintendent at the commencement of the year. The 

 quality of the teas was of good average standard, but 

 the great depression in the values of tea and colonial 

 products generally operated against the realization of 

 higher prices. In consideiatien of the valuable servicei 

 rendered by Mr. James Huttmann, as an assistant for 

 nine years and as superintendent for a further period 

 of twelve ypar?, the d rectors have had the pleasure of 

 presenting him on the presf-nt oconsi u as a special 

 gift with the sum of £500, chargeable against the profit 

 and loss account for 1884. The reoeipts amouuted to 

 £82,125 and the expenditure to £61 943, leaving groFU 

 profi's £21,182, which have been appropiiated as 

 follows : — Commissions on profits, £3 071 ; directors' 

 extra fees, £250 ; present to J. Huitinanu. £500; in. 

 oome-tax, £421 ; dividend at 15 per cent. £l5,000; 

 and reserve fund, Xl,910 —Home Neus 

 ^ 



Powdered Rioe as a Styptic Remedy has a great 

 eff. ct on fresh wounds, much superior to oxide of zinc. 

 By mixing from 4 to 11 p=r cent, of it with lint, and 

 using the lint thus treated as a compress, it is very 

 effectual and more valuable than subnitrate of bismuth, 

 salicylic acid, or carbolic acid. — Med. Press. 



DiKOYA, 27th July. — After a long spell of fine 

 planting weather we had a few rather bright days 

 about a week ago followed by some more rainy days, 

 and today it is again fine and looks as if it would 

 continue so. A large acreage of tea has been planted 

 this season as you will see by the returns for your 

 Directory, and, notwithstanding the extensive nurseries 

 put in by almost everyone last year, plants 

 are very scarce and selling at from R5 to R8 per 

 1,000 according to quality. It is now junt two years 

 since the rush into tea began in this district, and 

 a considerable acreage w 11 be giving regular pluck- 

 ings from about November next. Several new 

 factories are being started and more being talked of. 

 One hears very little about ciffoo, and decent crops 

 are few and far b'ltween ; some have simply none 

 at all. The ground has been cleared of the trees 

 in mauy places, so as to give the tea a fa'r chance ; 

 in othTS the lower primaries have been loppeil up, 

 aud the coffee that has in no way been interfered 

 with is getting smaller by degr-es and beautifully less 

 every day. Tiuchona is lasting out wonderful. y and has 

 douiitless been the one thing tLat has enabled many of 

 us to turn the crner. In another two years or so mo^t 

 estites will he able to get along comfortably withcut it. 



