n8 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August x, 1887. 
gained by the land share of the crops and E10 
saved in keeping the jungle for the first eighteen 
months will be the full value of the fertility taken 
out of the land especially as years must elapse 
before the coconuts can fully occupy the land and 
the land will grow something that will cause work. 
* 
THE SIZE OF THE BREAKS OP INDIAN 
AND CEYLON TEA. 
We understand that the following notice has been 
posted in the Commercial Sale Rooms, and that it 
has received the assent of several of the largest 
operators in the market: — "That on and after 
September 1st next, all breaks of Indian, Ceylou, or 
Java tea of smaller quantity than twelve chests, 
twenty half -chests, or thirty boxes shall be considered 
smill breaks, and sold at the conclusion of the sale." 
Several buyers would have raised the limit even 
higher, but thought it better that changes should 
be made gradually, so as to disturb existing arrange- 
ments as little as possible. The fixing of September 
1st as the date on which the new rule shall take 
effect is because of the general opinion that during 
July and August the number of breaks o' all kinds 
will not uuduly tax the powers of the trade. But 
it is anticipated that a deadlock will inevitably arise 
in September unless some such change as is now pro- 
posed takes place, as supplies during the autumnal 
months are heavier than at any other time of the 
year. Importers and planters will have ample time 
to communicate with their Calcutta agents before the 
change takes place. But in any case they cannot be 
much surprised at the decision of the buyers, if they 
have followed the discussion that has been going on 
in our columns at intervals during the last year or 
two. If Indian tea is to take the lead, the opinion 
in the Line 'u that we must soon see breaks of 50 
or 100 chests the rule instead of the exception. — 
H. $ 0. Mail, July 1st. 
. 
JAVA AGRICULTURAL COMPANIES. 
Amsterdam, June 29th. 
Several banking institutions in this city connected 
with the Java trade have issued their annual reports 
during the past week, and all show more or less un- 
favourable results. From the profit and loss account 
of the Netherlands Trading Company for last year 
it appears that the commission earned by the factory 
at Batavia amounted to fl. 632,999, while the interest 
account shows a profit of fl. 937,165, the insurance 
account a profit of fl, 10,051 and an acconnt of 
fl. 290,205, was earned on drafts, there being thus a 
total profit at Batavia of fl. 1,920,421. From this 
amount the following items have to be deducted: — 
Charges, fl. 409,997 ; writing off on agricultural under- 
takings in Netherlands India, fl. 1,847,494 ; bad and 
doubtful debts, fl. 90,942, and the profit and loss ac- 
count of the Batavia agency, showing thus a total 
deficit of fl. 428,012. As regards the general profit and 
loss account the following item3 are published : — Writing 
off on agricultural undertakings in the West 
Indies and on factories there, fl. 438,689 ditto 
on bonds in said undertakings fl. 197,818; 
oss on goods consigned to China, fl.575, and general 
charges, fl 216,897. The following profits are booked:— 
Commission, fl. 834,396 ; interest, fl. 1,330,237; total with 
other revenue, fl. 2,218 025. The net profit is only 
fl. 'J00,031, out of which a dividend of only rl.25 will be 
]hi.i to shareholders. The shareholders of the Nether- 
lauds Agricultural Company held their annual meeting 
on the lath instant, at which the directors presonte 1 
their report. The result of the operations of the com- 
pany has been unsatisfactory during the past year, 
which is chiefly to be ascribed to the low prices ruling 
for sugar. As niuiy sugar manufacturers, working 
under contracts with the company, were unable to meet 
their engagements, the directors are obliged to afford 
considerable assistance and to close the profit and loss 
account with a deficit. During 1886 the company was 
concerned in thirty-one su»ar manufactories, pro- 
ducing 959,616 piculs, which realised an average 
price of fl.761 per picul, against 986,615 piculs 
at fl.10 64 in 1885, which is A3 less. The com- 
pany has continue! relations with nine undertakings 
in coffee, one in coffee and cinchona, two in tea and 
cinchona, and one in cinchona, which have shown satis- 
factory results. According to the profit and loss 
account the commission earned at Batavia amounts 
tofl. 109,664 and the interest to fl. 1,144.938, while 
an amount of fl. 447,823 was expended in interest and 
redemption ot the existing bonded loan and fl. 838,000 
for reserves on doubtful debts, the deficit being thus 
fl. 58,031. Tbe balance-sheet of the head office shows 
an amount of fl. 14,165 for commission obtained for 
the sale of produce, and fl. 31,118 for general charges 
aud closes with a deficit of fl. 75,192. An amount 
of fl. 3,009,015 has been invested in stocks, while 
fl. 2,000,090 are deposited with the Netherlands Bank 
in Netherlands Stocks, against which the Java Bank 
has opened a credit in favour of the representative 
of the company in Java to avail of in case a profit- 
able business could be done in loans or investment of 
money . 
From the report of the Amsterdam Trading Com- 
pany it appears that the profits earned on goods 
amounted to f!184,843 ; on commission, fll51,G07: on 
interest, fl57,217 leaving a balanced profit of fil55,960, 
to which is added a commission of fl42,247, and the 
interest obtained by the head office of fl75,557 ; the 
total profit is fl296,093. After writing off fl43,805 for 
charges, fll5,557 loss on goods, aud fl3,75u for the re- 
demption of bonds, there remains a net profit of 
fl232,919, or more than 9 per cent, of the paid up 
capital of the company. The directors propose to use 
the profit for the promotion of a special reserve of 
9199,667, and for covering a loss on debtors in Java 
during 1887 of fl32,O00 while a balance of fll;251 will 
be carried to new account. In consequence of the 
unfavourable condition of the Java sugar industry, 
and a probable loss of more than fl.300,000 to be sus- 
tained from one of the sugar factories, in which the 
company is concerned the directors do not distribute 
iimong the shareholders the amount of interest earned 
during 1886, but they intend to establish an extra- 
ordinary reserved fund to the amount of f!400,000, 
to cover the loss named above. 
In order to assist the Java sugar industry in its 
depressed couditiou, the tariff for the 1837 crop has 
been reduced, and with several undertakings contracts 
have been closed. 
It may be said that there is much discontent about 
the working of almost all limited companies. Losses 
upon losses and 11 writing off" of enormous sums are 
every year laid before the shareholders, and the 
opinion is gaining ground that the managers are not 
acting with the prudence which should be expected 
from them. — L. & C. Express. 
The Direct Tea-exporting Company of Osaka 
made their fourth shipment of tea to America this 
season on the 14th inst., which consisted of 385 
chests valued at from $20 to $35 per pereul. — Japan 
Weekly Mail. 
Wynaad Planters' Association. — Prom the pro- 
ceedingsofa general meeting, held on 6th July 1887, 
we quote the following: — 
Cinchona. — The Honorary Secretary stated that the 
figures w«re fairly complex, and that the number of 
trees growing in Wynaad from the Ouchterlony Valley 
tin North Wynaad, excluding Nellacotta and Neddi- 
wuttum and Districts North and East of those bound- 
aries, is given at: 
Succirubra. Ledgers. Hybrids. 
7J millions. 2| millions. | of a million, 
and that the outturn of bark in the next three years 
was estimated at 5 million lb. This includes very little 
T.-vlger bark, most of which would not be harvested 
before 18!)J. The Honorary Secretary was requested 
to communicate these figures to Government, as many 
members objected to giving details of their separate 
estates. 
