758 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURISf, 



[May I, m6. 



TEA CULTIVATION BY NATIVES IN CEYLON. 



For several yeard back, we have regarded tea 

 cultivation as an industry peculiarly adapted to 

 the Sinhalese villagers and Tamil squatters or 

 colonists in the Western, Central and a great part 

 of the Southern provinces of Ceylon. We felt quite 

 sure that as soon as the C'eylonese people saw what 

 the European planters were doing with tea on 

 all sides of them, their ambition to own tea 

 bushes and gardens of their own would be stirred 

 up. In 1837, when the exports of coffee from Europ- 

 ean plantations practically commenced from this 

 island, the total shipments were .S4,000 cwt., of 

 which probably more than half came from native 

 holdings ; and thirty years later, in 18Gy, the native 

 exports were equal to 218,000 cwt. against 780,000 

 of plantation coffee. 



Similarly and even in a larger ratio may 

 we expect the development of a native tea- 

 growing industry, and, unlike our morning con- 

 temporary and Dr. Trimen, we do not see why 

 the villager with his little garden of bushes 

 should not get the full reward of his labour. 

 Factories are certain to be so multiplied that the 

 purchase of the native cultivator's leaf at remun- 

 erative rates can always be secured within easy 

 distance. Of course, there will be some native 

 gardens of considerable extent. Indeed, they are 

 likely to range from a few bushes or a few acres 

 to clearings of 28 to .50 acres ; while other native 

 proprietors will compete with their European 

 neighbours in planting up old coffee estates, which 

 have had a rest under lantana or chena, with 

 tea. Eventually, we do not think the estimate is 

 at all exaggerated! that world give 109,000 acres 

 as the area to be planted with tea by Sinhalese 

 and Tamils on their own account in Ceylon, 

 giving in crops, when in bearing, some 'JO to 30 

 million lb., to add to the 4.5 to HO million lb. 

 which the regular plantations are expected to yield. 

 The process of planting native tea gardens has al- 

 ready begun and wc may depend upon it that it 

 will henceforward go on at an accelerated rate. 



TEA AND TEA COMPANIES. 



0.4LCUTTA, March L'l.st. 

 TliA. — The report of the agents of the Good Hope 

 Tea Ooiupany shows that tbr outturn was l,G4Cj 

 inauuds, which sold at au average of As. ll)-6 per lb., 

 against 1,301 niauuds at As. 9-!) per lb. iu ISSl and 

 868^ mauuds at As. 0-6 per lb. iu 1883, The gross 

 revuue for the year was Kl,03,040 and the charges 

 R54.570, leaviug a profit of K4(),C>0I, which iucluiies 

 K160 brought forward. Dividends aggregathig 40 per 

 cent, have been declared, and a balance of l\ti,601 is 

 carried forward. The estimate for 1886 is 1,800 maunds 

 at au outlay of U71.540. The capital of the Oompvny 

 is one lakh, and the area of the garden 380 acres. 



The report of the agents of the Lower Darjeeliug 

 Tea Cowipauy shows that the outturn was oj'c^k mauuds, 

 or 46,360 lb., against au estimate of 700 mauuds, the 

 average price realized being As. it-5. The outturn for 

 1884 was 51,140 lb., realizing As. 7-S', and that of 

 1883 was 32,872 lb., realizing As. 10 per lb. ateragee 

 The gross reveiuie was 1120,479 and the expendi- 

 ture K24,421, leaving a profit of E5.057. Interest 

 f)aid amounts to Rl,7s:-), and the debit balance from 

 ast year is Rl),217, so that the year 18,sri closed with 

 a sum of Rr>,'.'4:-i at debit of profit and loss, wbicb 

 the nnmaging agents hope will be cleared off at the 

 cud of this season. The estimate provides for t>80 

 mauuds of tea at an ospeuditure of B21,41X). 



The report of the agents of the Phoolbaree Tea 

 Company shows that the outturn was 247,774 lb. against 

 au estimate of 280.000 lb.— the deficiency is laid to 

 mosquito blight. The average price realized was 

 As. 10-8 against As. 9 last year. The gross receipts 

 were Rl,16fi,337 and the expenditure R1,01..SS8, leav- 

 ing a profit of ?il64,949 interest on debentm-es, com- 

 missions, and one-fourth of the new buildings and 

 preliminary expenses reduce the amount available to 

 ll4(i,18.'j. Dividends aggregating 9 per cent have been 

 paid, and a balance of RlOo carried forward. The 

 estimate for 1886 is 3 400 maimds, with about the 

 same expenditure as 1885. 



The report of the directors of the Lacka- 

 doorah Tea Company shows that the outturn 

 was 991* maunds against an estimate of 1,000 maunds. 

 The average price realized for the tea was As. 10-4} 

 per lb. The gross revenue was Ro3,232 and the ex- 

 penditure, including some new cultivation, was 

 itlS.lU, leaving a profit of R8,121 : and adding the 

 balance brought over from last season the amount at 

 credit of profit and loss is 1116,281. Dividends ag- 

 gregating 7 per cent have been paid and K531 carried 

 forward. The estimates for 1886 provide for an out- 

 turn of 1,050 maunds of tea and 40 mauuds tea- 

 seed at an expenditure focalh/ of R31,tK)0. The area 

 under tea is 326 acres, of which 229 are iu full 

 bearing. 



The report of the agents of the Washabarie tea 

 garden shows that the nutturn was 1,GS6 maunds 

 -agaiust an estimate of 2,100 mauuds. Mosquito 

 blight accounts tor the difference. The average price 

 realized was As. 11-2 as compared with As. 9-3 last 

 season. The gross revenue was R96,624 aud the expen- 

 diture 1167,557 leaving a not profit of 1126,067, and 

 with the balance brought forward from last seasou, 

 the amount available is K'>1,S0I. A dividend of 10 per 

 cent, has been declared, 1114,451 writteu off Factory 

 and Machinery accounts, and a balance of lt2,353 

 carried forwar<l. The estimate for next year is 2,000 

 maunds, .and the expeudituro on this basis works out 

 i\h auuas per lb. laid dtnvn in Calcutta. 



"The report of the directors of the Eastern Oachar 

 Tea Company shows that I ho outturn was 4,504 nniuud^ 

 against au estimate of 4,750 maunds. Heavy hailstorms 

 account, for the dift'erouce. The receipts were 111,89,592 

 and the expenditure, including debenture interest 

 (1M,900) totalled up Kl,(>9,161, leaving a profit of 

 E20,431, which the bal.ince from last year swells to 

 K25,569, or a little over oV per cent, on the capital. 

 The estimates of the coming seasou arc 5,000 mauuds 

 at an cxp^^nditurc of li 1,69, 158. 



The report of the directors of the Loubah Tea Com- 

 pany shows that the outturii was 5,293 maunds against 

 an estimate of 5,265 maunds, the average price realized 

 being 11 annas. The gross revenue was K2, 86,754 aud 

 the expenditure 112,11,615, leaving a profit of It75,139, 

 which the balance brought over from last seasou in- 

 creases to RS3,021. Dividends aggregating R12;; per 

 cent, have been declared ; R 10,000 writteu off 

 extension accouut, and a balauce of R10,521 

 carried forward. The estimates for the coming 

 seasou arc for 5,500 mauuds at an expenditure of 

 K200, 111. The area under tea is 1,567 acres. 



The report of the Directors of the Grob Tea Com- 

 pany shows that the outturn was 2,878 mauuds agiiinst 

 au estimate of 3,370. Season unusually wet and cold. 

 The tot.il expeuiliture, iucluding interest on outlay, 

 was R122,654, and the gross receipts K 152,740, show- 

 ing a profit on the working of the gardeus of 1130,086 ; 

 and after paying interest on the mortgage, manager's 

 commission, i^c, there is a balance at credit ofiirofit 

 and loss of K17,317 to go in reductinu of the mort- 

 gage debt of lll,31,6t(8. The eslimitesfor the com- 

 ing season are for 3,0.50 maunds at au e.xpendi'nre of 

 Kl,18,4tl2. The area under tea is 798 acres, and tl'r 

 gardens stauds at R5,58.666, the capital being 5 lakhs 

 — Pioiiefr. 



■*■ 



WELLS' "ROUGH ON CORNS." 

 " .Vsk for Wells' " Rough on Corns." Quick relief 

 complete, permanent cure. Corus, warts bunions. 

 W. E. Smith & Oo., Madras, Sole Agents. 



