Mat i, 1889.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
'727 
have bought 30,000 oz. Brunswick from a second-hand 
holder at Is Id, March delivery, and all kinds of re. 
ports are current with regard to the quantities — 
some say 250,000 oz — which this second-hand holder is 
credited with intending to throw upon the market. 
The B & S agents ask Is 2£d per oz. ; they might 
perhaps sell at Is 2d per oz. Two thousand oz. Zim- 
mer's quinine in bottles are reported sold at Is 4d per 
oz. A firm, who are placed in a position to know the 
market very well indeed, write us today: — "It may 
interest you to know that it is said some of the very 
low prices at which quinine is stated to have been sold 
lately are forfeits paid to avoid delivery. — Chemist and 
Druggist, 
A BATCH OF INDIAN TEA COMPANIES. 
The following summary from the Calcutta corre- 
spondent of the Pioneer shows the profits and losses 
in tea, though on the whole the companies here 
mentioned have done fairly well : — 
Tea : Mothola Company. — The report of the direc- 
tors shows a profit on the season of 1116,083, and 
adding the balance from last season a credit balance 
at Profit and Loss 01 R16,590. An ad-interim dividend 
of 8 per cent has already been declared, and it is 
now proposed to pay a final dividend of 4 per cent 
and to carry R30 forward. The crop weighed out 
1,734 maunds against 1,488-1 maunds in 1887, and the 
net average realised was As. 9-7 against As. 11 last 
year. The area under cultivation is 335 acres. The 
estimates for 1889 are for 1,900 maunds. 
Chandypore Tea Company. — The report of the 
directors discloses a farther loss of R7.241 and a 
debit balance of B35,535. The outturn was 186,111 lb. 
against 156,355 lb. in 1887, and the average price 
realised As. 6-8J against As. 7-7. The estimates for 
1889 are for a crop of 208,000 lb. at an expenditure 
of E83.000. 
Bannockburn Tea Company.— The report of the 
managing agents dislcoses a profit of R3,869, but 
interest and depreciation and a previous balance of 
R8,558 reduce it to a debit of R9.895. The crop 
weighed out 1,077 maunds against an estimate of 
1,054 maunds and a crop in 1887 of 1,050 maunds. 
It was sold in. London at an average of 9Jd or 
As. 7-6 locally. The estimate for 1889 is for a crop 
of 92,000 lb. 
Phcenix Tea Company — The report of the directors 
discloses a profit R4,509. Depreciation, however, 
reduces this to R3,457. and adding the balances 
from last year the amount at credit of Profit and 
Loss is 1132,705. The crop weighed out 278,890 lb., 
against an estimate of 358,400 lb. and a yield in 1887 
of 339,973 lb. The unfavourable result is attributed 
to hail, blight and prolonged bad weather. The esti- 
mates for 1889 are for 348,800 lb. 
Arcuttipore Tea Company. — The report of the direc- 
tors shows that the net profits were R3,407 and the 
amount at credit of Profit and Loss is R4,858, which 
it is recommended should be carried forward. The out- 
turn was 217 ,392 lb. against 221,611 lb. last year, and 
the average pric± realised As. 7-5^ against As. 8-2|. 
The estimates for 1889 are for a crop of 2,942 maunds 
at a local outlay of 1167,865. The area under plant ia 
933.1 acres. The season has been very unfavourable, 
cold and sunless, with an excessive rainfall, and aa 
a consequence the quantity and quality of the tea 
were seriously affected. 
Amluckie Tea Company.— The report of the mana- 
ging agents shows that the season closed with an 
outturn of 3,022 maunds, against an estimate of 
3,000 maunds and a crop in 1887 of 2,615| maunds. 
The average price realised was As. 8-2 against As.l0-8i 
last year. The accounts show a profit of R34,844 and a 
credit_nt Profit and Loss, including last year's balance 
of 1167,451. An adrimt&rim dividend of 5 per cent has 
exhausted R22,285, and a final dividend of 2 per cent 
ia recommended, carrying forward the balance. The 
estimates for 18S9 are for a crop of 3,500 maunds. 
The. area under tea is 900 acres. 
Dhunsiri Tea Company.— The report of the man- 
aging agents show a loss of B5.362, and there is 
altogether a total deficiency of K19.034. Debentures 
for R1,00,000 have been isBued at 7 per cent. The 
Saw Mill showed a profit of Pv2,472. The outturn 
was 708 maunds of tea against an estimate of 1,000 
mauDds and a crop in 1887 of 872 maunds. The 
estimate for 1889 is for 800 maunds. The average 
price realised was As. 7 against As. 9-3 last year. The 
area under tea is 368 acres. 
Kornafuli Association. — The report of the mana- 
ging agents shows a net balance of R46,454 at 
credit of Profit and Loss, which it is proposed 
should be transferred to working capital account 
with a view to writing down the value of block. 
The crop reached 4,139 maunds, against an esti- 
mate of 3,910 maunds and a yield in 1887 of 3,906 
maunds. The average price was As. 9-8 against 
As. 9-6 last year. The estimates for 1889 are for 
4,200 maunds at a cost Rl,60,000. The area of the 
gardens is 1 ,075 acres. 
Holta Tea Company.- The result of the working 
is a loss of R8,592, and there is now a balance of 
K4,011 at credit of Profit and Loss which it is 
proposed to carry forward. The outturn was 
98,020 lb., against an estimate of 110,000 lb. and 
a crop in 1887 of 104,908 lb. The average price 
realised was As. 9-4 against As. 12-1J in 1887. 
The company's retail sales have fallen from 
40,473 lb. to 23,666 lb., and this has affected the 
profits. The estimate for 1889 are for 100,000 lb. 
Cocheela Tea Company. — The report of the direc- 
tors discloses a loss of R4,721 and the debit balance 
at Profit and Loss is increased to R9,566- Unfavour- 
able weather, deficient rainfall and so forth account 
for this. The outturn was 103,145 lb. against a crop 
in 1887 of 102,505 lb. and the average price realised 
was As. 6-5i against As. 6-10. The estimates for 
1889 are for 114,000 lb. at a cost of R47,533, and 
unless a better price ia realised this means a further 
loss. The area under tea is 481 acres. 
Second Mutual Tea Company. — The report of the 
managing agents shows that the outturn was 1,666 
maunds against 1,930 maunds last year, and the 
average price As. 7-9J against As. 9-4. The result 
of the working is a loss of R851 and a debit balance 
of R142. The estimate for 1889 is for 1,500 maunds 
fine and 600 maunds coarse tea for an outlay of RS4.999, 
including R11.588 for new extension, &c. The area 
of the gardens is 725 acres under plant. 
ANTHELIA. 
I have been following with much interest your notices 
of anthelia, and was about to add my mite to the 
information given, when, by the mail just in, I have 
your issue of October 25th last, wherein is a notice of 
the phenomenon as observed in Ceylon. I have wit- 
nessed it there scores and scores of times in my early 
tramps bird collecting, and I have also seen it at the 
Cape, in Brazil, on the Amazon, in Fiji, and in this 
island. On turning up my dear old friend Sir E. 
Tennent'sbook on Ceylon, I find that at p. 73, vol.i., 
he gives a very fair figure of the effect produced. 
It may be, as he says, that the Buddhists took from 
it the idea of a " halo " or " flame " for the head of 
Buddha, but there is one peculiarity about these flames 
that always struck me. In whatever position you find 
the Buddha, the flame is invariably in a straight line 
with the body even if the figure is recumbent. In 
form it always resembles the " tongues of fire " 
depicted by old painters as falling on the apostles on 
the Day of Pentecost. 
I have seen many instances of what I suppose may 
be called "anthelia" in calm water, but the appear- 
ance is usually more rayed. I have an exquisite en- 
graving in my print collection of the " Madonna and 
Dead Christ" by Aldegrever (1502-58.) It has often 
occurred to me, in looking at it, that the artist has 
taken his idea of the halo round the Virgin's head from 
the appearance presented by the " anthelia " in water. 
There is the same lumiuous centre, and then the diver- 
gent rays. The halo round the head of the dead 
Christ in her lap is a four-cornered lumiuous st>ir, issu- 
ing rays, of which three points only are visible — like 
nothing in nature with which I am acquainted. 
E. Ii. Layard. 
British Conaulate, Noumea, January 3rd. 
— Nature. 
