A JAIL x, 1890.1 THE TROPICAL AGWCOLTURIST. 
667 
project for developing the gem-yielding regions. 
Acoording to the Ceylon Observer — apaper which 
has always shown great caution in its state- 
ments — "neither Burma, South Africa, nor perhaps 
any other country, yielding precious stones, under 
the sun, can oompare with Ceylon in the conveni- 
ences offered for developing any large industry of 
the kind." Of course, Ceylon has been famous for 
its precious stones any time during the last two 
thousand years, but hitherto the harvest has been 
reaped on no settled principles and with the most 
elementary appliances. But all this is to be altered 
before long. Real mining is to take the place of sur- 
faoe-soraping. Some of the old colonists have rather 
pooh-poohed the idea of Europeans getting the gems, 
even after they have been found, with coolies ready 
to conceal and even swallow them at every turn ; 
but if the enterprise ever comes to the touch of 
practical work, it is safe to prediot that Western 
precautions will be able to prove quite a matoh 
for Oriental cunning. 
The gem-yielding country of Ceylon covers a wide 
region, and many experiments have been made in 
the central, western, and southern provinces. 
Among the latest was that of Sir Samuel Baker 
below Nuwara Eliya and Horton Plains. The 
natives, for generations past, have had certain well- 
defined favourite localities. Even so recently as in 
last year some valuable Ceylon stones have been 
"captured." For instance, in April a large cat's- 
eye, weighing 475 carats in the rough, and 170 
carats after cutting, was found in Dikoya, sold by 
the finder for thirty rupees, and ultimately bought 
by a Moorish trader for 7,000 rupees, and sent to 
England for sale. Again, in June, a still richer 
haul was made, when an alexandrite, weighing 
over 6 lb., and of the estimated value of 500,000 
rupees— roughly £40,000 — was discovered at a place 
called Weligama. 
Altogether, with its pearl fisheries, its " boom " 
in the tea markets, and its genuine prospects, the 
anoient Tarf-hish, whence Solomon procured his 
miscellaneous gifts for the Queen of Sheba, seems 
likely to thrive. — Vanity Fair, Feb. 1st. 
+ 
RANCHING IN SOUTH AMEEICA. 
In 1885 there were 41,000,000 sheep in the 
States, 72,000,000 in Australia, and 100,000,000 in 
the Argentine Bepublic. We have two thirds of 
a sheep to every inhabitant ; in the Argentine 
Bepublic there are twenty-five sheep, and in Uruguay 
forty sheep, to every man, woman and child. 
We have 40,000,000 of horned cattle, a population 
of 60,000,000 ; the Argentine Bepublic and Uruguay 
have 38,000,000 of cattle to a population of 
4,000,000. In Uruguay, with a population of 500,000 
souls, there are 8,000,000 of cattle, 20,000,000 of 
sheep, 2,000,000 of horses, or 60 head of stock for 
each man, woman and child. $15,000,000 have 
been'tinvested in wire fenoes in Uruguay alone, and 
more han twice as much in the Argentine Bepublic. 
In either of these oountries a oow oan be bought 
for $5, a steer fattened for the market for $10 
or $12, a pair of oxen for $25, ajsheep for 50 
for 60 cents, an ordinary working horse for $8 or 
$10 and a roadster for 25, a mule for $15, and 
a mare for whatever her hide will bring. Mares 
are never broken to saddle or harness, but are 
allowed to run wild in the pastures from the time 
they are foaled until they oease to be of value 
for breeding, when they are driven to the saledros 
or slaughter houses and killed for their hidrs. 
A man who would une a mare under the saddle 
or before a wagon would be considered of unsound 
mind. — American Exporter. 
THE YATADERIA TEA COMPANY OF 
CEYLON, LIMITED. 
Tho second annual general meeting of the Yata* 
deria Tea Company of Ceylon, Limited, waB held at 
the offices of the Company, 13, Queen Street, 
Colombo, on the 5th March inst. Mr. H. V. Mase- 
field was in the chair, and the following shareholders 
were represented, viz. :— Messrs. D. Fairweather, 
J. H. Starey (Managing Direotor), J. R. Fairweather, 
(3. J. Jameson, W. Forsyth, G. M. Gwatkin, and 
by proxy W. Church, G. B. Sparkes, and G. K. 
Deaker, and Mr. B. G. L. Bremner (Secretary). 
The Secretary read the notioe convening the 
meeting. The minutes of the last annual general 
meeting were read and confirmed. TheBeport of tho 
Directors was taken as read. It was as follows :— 
The Direotors have the pleasure to submit the 
General Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account for 
the year ending 31st December, 1889, duly audited. 
The net profit on the year's working, after writing 
off for depreciation, as shown by the accounts, is 
R8.48993, including R2,957'46 brought forward from 
1888 ; and the Directors, in pursuanoe of the resolution 
passed at the last General Meeting, propose that the 
balance of profit be written off to New Clearings and 
New Factory, the policy being "to develop the Estate 
to the extent of bringing 550 acres of Tea into bearing, 
and build and equip the Factory entirely out of 
profits." It is hoped the present transfer will suffice 
for this object, though it yet remains to build the 
Superintendent's bungalow. 
The total tea crop was 118,805 lb. or 21,805 lb. more 
than the estimate. The plucking area was 322 acres, 
of which 150 acres were plucked only 7 J months. 
The yield from the 172 acres older tea was equal to 
479 lb. per acre, showing improvement equal to 75 lb. 
per acre. The young tea promises even better results, 
having yielded more than 200 lb per acre in 7 5 months. 
Unforeseen difficulties were encountered in building 
the new factory owing to the peculiar nature of the 
only ground available for the use of water-power, in- 
volving delay ; but it is expected to be in use in March. 
A Turbine and Piping, Jackson's " Rapid " Roller and 
" Victoria " B dryer are in course of erection, the cost 
of these machines having been included in the accom- 
panying accoants. Seeing that the crop of 1889 was 
made entirely by hand power in the temporary factory, 
the prices realized are satisfactory. 
The amount 1110,000 capital not called in the pre- 
vious accounts has since been paid, and the capital is 
now fully paid. It will be seen from the accounts that 
the outlay exceeds the paid up capital (as was foretold 
in the last Report). It is to remedy this, and to place 
the Company in the strong position of Capital Account 
not exceeding E350 per cultivated acre with Factory 
and machinery, t hat the Company resolved last year to 
defer a division of profits, which nevertheless accrue to 
the Proprietors in the value of their shares. 
The former Board anticipated returns of 20 per cent, 
when 550 acres are in bearing, if this policy be adhered 
to ; and your present Directors do not regard such 
anticipations as improbable or excessive. 
The Company's property consisted at 31st Dec. 1889 
of :- ■ 
f 172 acres tea in bearing, plan- 
I ted in 1885 
I 208 aores tea in partial 
I bearing, planted in 18S7 
523 aores Tea— viz.:— \ 100 acres tea not in bearing 
I planted in 1888 
43 acres tea not in bearing 
planted in 1889 
1 320 aores forest, 
Total... ...843 aores. 
(only 43 were planted in 1889, instead of 70 aores, as 
intended). 
The Crown landsjlying between parts of the pro- 
perty were not put up for sale until January in this 
year, when 401aores were purchased : some of ),the land 
applied for being withdrawn for enquiry into native 
claims. 
