5^4 
THE TROPICAL AGttTOOLTURlST. [February t, 1890. 
(c) regulating all matters and things connected with, 
or relating to the safety of the persons employed in or 
about any mine and 
(d) every other purpose necessary for carrying out 
the several provisions of this Ordinance. 
Any person who shall open, work, or nse, or cause or 
suffer to be opened, worked, or used any mine in 
breaob of, or in any way contrary to, the provisions of 
this Ordinance or of any rules made under section 8, or 
otherwise than in strict accordance with the license 
In that behalf granted under this Ordinance, or after 
such license shall have been revoked, shall be guilty of 
an offence and be liable on a first conviction to a fine 
not exceeding fifty rupees, or to rigorous imprisonment 
not exceeding three months, or both, and on every 
subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding one 
hundred rnnees, or to rigorous imprisonment not ex- 
exceeding six months, or both. 
When any person is convicted of mining without 
a license, or contrary to the conditions thereof, all 
the gold, silver, gems, or precious stones or mining 
implements which at the time of the commission of 
the offence were found on the person or in the posses, 
sion of such offender shall be liable, by order of the 
convicting magistrate, to confiscation, and such con- 
fiscation may be in addition to any other punishment 
prescribed for suoh offence. 
In any prosecution instituted under this Ordinance 
against any person for having opened, worked, or 
used any mine without a license, the burden of 
proof that be holds a license shall lie on the party 
accused, and until the contrary shall be proved he 
shall be deemed to have no license. 
. * 
THE PRUNING OF TEA. 
Mr. Wood of Langa Tea Estate, Sylhet, recently 
made some inquiries regarding the effects of pruning 
on the tap root of the tea plant. As some of the pr ints 
raised have an important bearing on the question of 
treatment of young tea, especially in all gardens and 
dry districts, Mr. Wood's queries were sent to Dr. 
King, and his replies, with the questions, are given in 
the Proceedings of the Agri-Horticultural Society of 
India, and are here reproduced • — 
1st. — Does the tap root of a tea plant extend down- 
wards in proportion to the height of bush? 
2nd — At what proportion? Ans. (1). Asa rule, 
yes: (2). Local conditions may, however, modify the 
proportionate growth of roots to size of busb. 
3rd. — Does pruning arrest the downward growth of 
the tap root entirely, partially or doe9 it encourage its 
downward growth ? Ans. Partially arrests ; certainly 
dies not encourage. 
4th. — Does pruning, when the sap is ud, arrest the 
downward growth of the tap root entirely, partially, 
or vice versa ? Ans. Pruning when the sap is up 
weakens the bush, and anything which does that pro- 
bablv diminishes the growth of the roots. 
5th. — Does pruning when the sap is dormant arrest 
the downward srrowth of the tap root entirely, or not 
at nil ? Ans Pruning, when the sap is not in fu'l flow 
upwards, probably affects the root very little, if at all. 
6'h. — Is the sap in a tea bush (i.e., evergreen) ever 
entirelv dormant ? Ans. Not entirely. Evaporation 
from the leaves never quite ceases, and sap must be 
continually supplied from the soil to keep them alive. 
7 th. — Supposing the very top, or succulent part, of 
the main stem of a two-year-old seedling be plucked — 
does this in any way stop the downward growth of the 
tap root ? Ans. I cannot answer : experiment would 
have to be mado. — Indian Planter's Gazette, Jan. 14th.. 
NATAL TEA COMPANY. 
The second annual general meet ; n* of the sharehold- 
pra nonnected with the Natal Tea Company was held in 
♦h" offices of Messrs. Steel, Murrav & Co. (secretaries) 
nn Thursday afternoon. There were present. : — Messrs. 
T. S. Flack ^chairman), T. TT. Drury, W. R. P. Murray, 
E. Knell, Geo. Goodricke, W. Peck, W. Bowhill, J. S. 
Wylic, and Davidson (manager). 
The directors submitted their annual report, of whioh 
the following are the principal paragraphs : — 
The lease of the company's tea plantation terminated 
at 1st Nov. 1889. Under the lease agreement the com- 
pany were entitled to purchase a large tract of land at 
a fixed prioe per acre. A portion of the ground leased 
having been found useless for tea cultivation has been 
given up, but your directors are pleased to state that 
they have on behalf of the company secured about 250 
acres, including the ground upon which the tea beds of 
the company are situated, with a new portion of ground 
adjoining, which runs further into the country. The 
price and payment have been made on favourable terms 
for the company. 
The manager of the company reports that he is well 
pleased with the appearance of the tea plants as sprung 
in the beds, that they are strong and healthy, and 
bearing well in proportion to their size, and he ia pro- 
ceeding to transplant as speedily as possible on the new 
ground acquired by the company. The tea beds con- 
tain plants sufficient to plant out the whole of the 
company's ground. There have been transplanted this 
season 9,850 plants, and there are about 1,434,500 plants 
in the tea beds. 
The tea grown and made by the company is of 
good quality and flavour, and finds a ready sale at 
good prices. As the season is only beginning for tea 
picking, the quantity obtained so far has been small, 
but warrants your direotors in hoping the company 
will prove a success if the plants grow steadily and in 
" flush " and tea bearing. 
The company have during the year imported, and 
have now working at their plantation, (1) a tea 
rolling machine, and (2) a tea drying machine. The 
Manager reports that he is very well satisfied with 
these machines, and is now in full working order to 
secure this season's crop, the picking of which latti 
till March next. 
Mr. Swinburne, the manager of the company, had in 
the beginning of the year to leave Natal on account of 
ill-health, and is not to return. Mr. Davidson, for 
some time previously in the company's employment as 
assistant manager, has been appointed to succeed him. 
The directors hope, under his energetic management, 
the prospects of the company may rapidly improve. 
The statement of accounts showed a balanoe of 
£250 out of the capital of £2867, Tea seed had cost 
£424, labour £508, the European establishment £223. 
formation £83. The sale of tea, &c., had realised 
£141. 
The Chairman in moving the adoption of the report 
and statement of accounts, said he was pleased to 
preside over the largest meeting yet held of the com- 
pany, which for a young venture, was in a fairly 
satisfactory position. He trusted the shareholders 
would visit the estate at Isipingo, and by their 
suggestions assist the directors in their- labours. 
After a short discussion, during which the Chairman 
said the company might require some slight assistance 
pending returns coming in, 
Mr. Snell seconded the motion as above proposed, 
and the reports were unanimously adopted. 
On the motion of Mr. Goodricke, seconded by Mr. 
Snell, the appointment of Mr. J. W. Lenchars on the 
Board of Directors was confirmed, and Mr. W. R.P. 
Murray was re-elected director. 
Mr. J. Sinclair was re-appointed auditor at the 
usual remuneration. 
It was also resolved to alter olause 49 of the Articles 
of Association so that the directors might be em- 
powered to hold the annual meeting in April 
instead of December, it being pointed out that the 
picking season ended in March; which would enable 
the Board to finance better for the company's year. 
Votes of thanks to the Chairman and directors for 
their valuable services during the past year brought 
the meeting to a close, — Natal Mercury. 
SEBICULTURE AT SAIDAPET. 
The result of the Honorable Mr. J. H. Garstin's visit 
tol the Saidapet Farm on the 15th instant, reported 
in 'our issue of that date, which was made with a 
