April 2, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
good start ever the others, and is now possessed of the 
biggest and most complete factory in the district, with 
driers and machinery complete. Mr. W. Mills' place in 
the Kalupahani Valley, "West Haputale," is said to 
be doing well with tea, and has already distinguished 
itself in the local market, having twice, I think, earned 
the proud distinction of being " mentioned" in the 
brokers' reports as having sent one of the "best in- 
voices in the sale." Being somewhat out of the way, 
the estate cannot buy leaf of others, but it will soon be 
making large quantities of its own, for the tea planted 
ie coming on there really wonderfully well, Berragalls, 
the property of the late Mr. Oarsou, lias been making 
tea for some time, and buys leaf from its neighbours, 
all t,hi' (iouamatava pluckings — until its own factory is 
erected — being carted down there at present. Berra- 
galla, I think, is making the most tea of any estate at 
present* for not only has it a large acreage, which is 
coming on capitally, but Mr. Davidson buys largely 
from his neighbours, and, having machinery already 
erected (a Little Giant roller and a Sirocco) is able to 
show his brother-planters the way to make tea. Amongst 
other estates at this end of the district thatare making 
tea is old Kalupahaui, and, if Mr. R. 32. Pineo really is 
coming back to the island and the district, as alleged, 
he will be not a little astonished to see his store partly 
converted into a tea factory. The Pass estates, as a 
ride, have not yet made much progress with the new 
product, and the same may be saiil of some of those 
above it. Pitaratlillie, however, has chulas erected in 
its store, and is buying leaf from Dambatenne and 
neighbour ng estates, which themselves promise well for 
the future. This is especially the case with Dambatenne, 
where the tea is really a good cover. Beyond the Pass, 
Gonamatova is the most advanced, and has not only 
u very large acreage of new laud under tea, but 
is erecting a factory and will shortly commence 
manufacture instead of seudiug its leaf down the 
Pass to Borragalla. This estate has a large acre- 
age of rich pataua laud opened, some of which once 
grew cinchona ; and the tea there is coming on 
as if the soil suitod it down to the ground, so that 
I expect that it will soon form a fair cover. The 
name may be said of Niabedda, which keeps a num- 
ber of chulas at work, and tea seoms to grow, if any- 
thing, almost better on the rich patnas which sur- 
round estates in this part of the district, than it does 
amongst ths best coffee. Some years ago Craig, then 
tho property of the Messrs. Mackenzie, cleared a 
large acreage of patna near Windy Oorner for cin- 
chona, which came on, as cinchrnas always did on 
Ornig, wonderfully well. These have been cut down, 
and right up to the Windy Corner ridge as fine a 
sjieot of tea for its age as coaJil bo desired now 
exists, nnd will prove a mine of woalth to the new 
Eroprietory. Leangawella hus not done much yet, 
ut doubtlisa will do so soon, whilst Broughtou has 
u fairly largo extent in plucking, loaf being sold to 
Ampitiakande, the next estate, whore tho Lanka Plan- 
tations Company ha\e erected a tomporary factory — 
rather unwisely, I think it is generally admitted, as 
it is so far removed from tho cart-road, whereas 
Aruball would have been moro ennvenient. In that 
valley both the Mecriabeddes and Diacullaaro pluoking 
but not making yet ; bnt there aro no factories m the 
I'oonagalla valley. Lyegrove, an estato belonging to 
Mr K. Swj n*y, however, is both plucking and making, 
and Diekapittiya has jnst begun plueking, and its 
■ton is now in process of conversion. Great dif- 
ficulty Heeins to have boon experienced iu this part el 
the district iu getting the tea to r »art, and tho per- 
centage ■>{ v.icuneies in iiichI e. it.in.es 1ms been vei y 
rieiit imb ed. Once fairly started, the tea does very 
well ; but it h gradually being found cut that soil which 
grew mngiiil'oent rolFce in not i.eccs-arily good for tea; 
and in or tuo instances the new product can 
hardlv be got to grow on it nt nil, though the climate 
is all thai could be detlred, and tho soil is deep mid 
rich. Tin- ahrence of iron from tl'i ck i» generally 
very detrimental to the growth ot tea. I must not 
forget to mention Ivolburne, or else in "Laird" will 
indeed lime cause lor wralb. A mw factory has juit 
been put up on it with roller* and a I'.rown's dea-irator, 
and planting (plucking) him, I think, aliotuly crm- 
menced. Thus nine estates at least aro already mak- 
ing tea in the district, and, by the end of the year, 
nearly twenty factories ought to be at work — not bad 
progress this for Haputale, and some incentive for the 
Government to give it a railway. On the whole, I am 
inclined to think that, though tea will yet be very 
successful in the district, it will not be so universally. 
There aie a few estates iu the district that do not as 
yet, at all events, seem to be able to grow it at all. 
On the other hand, one of the most cheering incidents 
connected with the cultivation is the fact, vouched for 
by numbers of men in the district, that all through the 
long drought, now I hope at an end, tea has flushed 
better — more regularly and more abundantly — than 
ever before. This is a most hopeful sign, and I think 
it may be relied on that the drought to which this 
district is subject generally in July and August will 
not retard flushing in the very least. — Local " Times," 
TEA : THE EXPERIENCES OF DIFFERENT 
COMPANIES IN 18«7; MACHINERY, LAND 
SLIPS, BLIGHT, AND DIVIDENDS. 
Hope Tea Company. — The report of the Managing 
Agents shows that satisfactory progress has been made 
with. the garden, and that the property is fully equipped 
with' machinery of the most modern type. The pros- 
pects of the current year seem excellent, and point 
to a good dividend for the shareholders should nothing 
unforeseen occur. The area under plant is 1,210 acres. 
Lackatoohah Tea Company— The report of the 
directors shows that 1,188 mauuds of tea and ( 8 
mauuds of tea seed were produced. The former sold 
at 8 annas 1$ pies per lb. net. The revenue was 
R53,322 and the expenditure R45,343, leaving a 
profit of R8,079, and adding the balance from 1886, 
the amount at credit of Profit and Loss is R8.119. 
A dividend of 3$ per ceut is recommended, carrying 
forward R243. An unprecedented rainfall in May 
did exteusive damage to drains, and entirely buried 
about 20 acres of fine plant. [A*. B.—iB acres buried 
is a serious loss.— Ed. 1 The estimates for 1888 
are for an outturn of 1,200 maunds tea and 100 
inaunds tea seed at a cost of R32,l:iG, which include* 
a new extension of about 25 acres. 
Central Cachak Tea Company.— The report of the 
directors for the year 1887 shows that 467,789 lb. of 
tea were manufactured against 395,813 lb. in 1886 and 
296,662 lb. in 1885. The net price realised was annas 
»-2 against annas 8-2$ in 1886 and annas 10-4 in 1885. 
The result of the year's work is a profit of R70,4:-ll, 
and adding the balance from last year, the amount at 
credit of profit and loss is R75.587. The directors re- 
commend the payment of a dividend of 6 per cent , 
which will exhaust R60.000; that R10,000 be carried 
to reserve fund and K5,567 be carried forward. The 
estimates for the current year are for an outturn of 
172,0001b. at an expenditure of RlfiC,C34. 
Kuiiseono and Dabjeklinu Tka Company. — The re- 
port of tho directors shows that the outturn for 1887 
was 180,525 lb. against 182,031 lb. in 18B6, the average 
net price realised being annas 10 against annas 8-3 in 
1*86. The result of the season's working is a profit 
of R25.430, and adding tin: balance from 1886, the 
amount at credit of profit and loss is RJ0,255, 
which will admit of a dividend of 4 per cent. The 
estimates for the current season are for an outturn of 
188.000 lb. at an expenditure of K84,lfi8. The otfer of 
K 70,000 which the directors received for tho pur- 
chase of tho Darjeeliug division of tho company's 
property has fallen through, owing to tho purchaser 
being unable to find the money. 
Baroami Tba Company.— The report of the Mana- 
ging Agents for the past year shows that 129.120 lb. 
of tea wore packed, or 10,511 lb. in excess of l->o. 
Almost tho entire crop has been sold . t a gn 
average of 11 l:>-lt>tb.(t per lb., or about i'i annas in 
this market. The revenue was R74.928 and the ex- 
penditure Ul l.i'.T l, leaving a snrplus on tbo year s 
operations pf R:u>. •„'.'• 1, and the 1'rotit and Loss account 
shows a balance of Bt99,891, The directors recom- 
mend a dividend of 16 per cent., which will e\hau»l 
