June i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
in this way. The matter, however, would receive the 
attention of the board, and no debentures would be 
issued without the sanction of the shareholders. 
Another shareholder thought that the meetings of 
the company should be half-yearly. He thought twelve 
months was too loog a time for the shareholders to hear 
nothing- of the affairs of the company. 
Mr. Brown said there was only provision made for 
yearly meetings, but he thought they should be very 
glad to call a meeting when Mr. Menzies' report came. 
Mr. Menzies is a very skilful and experienced planter, 
and we were sorry we could not get him to go direct to 
our property ; but he had an engagement to visit some 
estates in Sumatra. His report would say whether they 
could work on a very large scale or not. Mr. Menzies 
was the gentleman who selected the estates of the 
Lanka Plantation Company, which gave from the 
commencement over 100 per cent. 
The Chairman intimated that another meeting would 
be called when the board received Mr. Menzies' report. 
He further stated, in reply to a shareholder, that 
nearly 37,000 had been applied for in shares. 
The meeting then terminated. — L. & G. Express. 
TOBACCO. 
Amsterdam, April 16. 
Several companies have declared dividends during the 
past week. The Deli-Langkat Tobacco Company has 
issued its annual report, trom which it appears that 
the crop harvested in 1887, from two undertakings, 
was 3,415 bales, which realised an average price of 
c. 132 per half kil<\ The accounts were adopted, and 
the dividend was fixed on 730 guilders per share, 
f. 95,250 have been transferred to an extraordinary 
reserve fund, and f. 205,049 to the ordinary reserve 
fund. Besides the usual writing off en buildings, &c, 
required by the statutes, a further writing off f . 59,200 
has been made on possession in land concessions. It 
also appears from the report that the 1888 crop of 
four undertakings will be about 1,000,000 half-kilos, the 
prospect for which seems to be satisfactory. 
The Amsterdam-Deli Company has also issued its 
report, which is somewhat disappointing, the result 
being below expectation. A large quantity of the 
tobacco was decidedly of inferior quality, in consequence 
of which prices and commissions were lower this 
year. Moreover, the increase of the capital to 
1,000,000 guilders has exercised its influence on the per- 
centage of profit. The dividend for 1888 has been fixed 
at 25 per cent; the reserve fuud amounts to f . 1,415,304. 
The 1888 crop — which will be sold this year — so far as 
quantity is concerned, is satisfactory, and more than 
that of the preoeding year. As regards quality nothing 
cau be reported as yet; but the first arrivals appear to 
be satisfactory. The report further refers to the 
emigration of Chinese coolies. The existing arrange- 
ments are to be improved. The managers also mention 
that in the beginning of this year two estates were 
purchased — one in Deii, and one in Lakat — and that 
the 1889 crop is already being worked on account of 
the company. — L. and 0. Express. 
♦ 
PLANTING IN NETHERLANDS INDIA. 
(Exchanges to 24th April.) 
The Surabaya Couraat has been informed on good 
authority th it leaf disease is spreading far and wide 
throughout the coffee growing districts in Java, but 
it has taken a less malignant form. The branches 
bearing the most heavily fair the worst. 
Tiie German New Guinea Company has some inten- 
tion, so it is said, of choosing Surabaya as the termi- 
nal print for a line of steamers running to Finsch- 
haven in German New Guinea via Macassar. 
In different parts of Java, marble of excellent 
quality has been found. Specimens of the article have 
been taken to Batavia to be put into shape for trans- 
mission to the Paris Exhibition. Large consignments 
not only of Netherlands India products, but also of 
the people of the land, have been forwarded there. 
In Acheen the enemy continue to harass the army 
of occupation, but cannot do them much harm owing 
to the strength of the lines. The losses they inflict 
in killed and wounded are slight. The evacuation of 
Acheen seems further off than ever during the sixteen 
years the war has been going on. Meanwhile nego- 
ciations are going on with the titular Sultan of Acheen 
with a view to end the war by restoring the Sulta. 
nate under Netherlands protection. 
The German ship " Emma Romer," laden with copra, 
has been destroyed by fire at Macassar, 
_ + 
" A SYMPOSIUM " ON TEA CULTURE AND 
PREPARATION 
of a very practical and instructive kind, will 
be found begun on page 861, several instalments of 
considerable value having still to follow. Although 
the questions to which answers are more directly 
given refer mainly to the quality of the flush 
at different seasons, the effect of manuring and fine 
versus coarse plucking ; yet, incidentally, opinions 
on the tea industry generally are afforded, and it 
is interesting to see how the majority of writers 
seem to adhere to the view that to shut out 
China teas from the London market, it is necessary 
that Ceylon planters should not pluck too fine. It is 
evident however that no general rule can be laid 
down, applicable to the great variety of elevation, 
climate, soil &a. appertaining to Ceylon tea 
plantations in different districts, and that 
managers in many cases are still only learn- 
ing the peculiarities with which they have to 
deal. The Ceylon tea planters as a whole, in 
fact, may be said to be learning, season by season, 
more and more about the capabilities of their tea 
bushes, and the proper use of their factories and 
maohinery. They are bound to become the best 
cultivators and makers of tea in the world : if we only 
give them a little more time. Of that our London 
friends may rest assured. The competition to 
make good teas compatible with a deoent pay- 
ing orop is very keen in most of our districts. 
The fact too that with the tea land already 
planted we are bound to go on increasing our 
exports until a hundred million lb. in one season 
are reaohed, ought to go forth as a warning to 
our Indian and Java neighbours. They cannot 
possibly compete with this moist tropical island 
and its very cheap ample supply of labour, in supply- 
ing Europe with tea at a low price. Ceylon is bound 
to be first in the race. Indian and Java planters 
had better not plant another acre with tea (any 
more than Ceylon planters) until they see what 
the next few years may bring forth. In India, a 
policy of contraction of the tea area cultivated rather 
than expansion, had much better be observed. 
♦ 
NEW PRODUCTS : COTTON, TOBACCO, 
LIBERIAN COFFEE, &c. 
Fortunately, at thi crisis in Ceylon, there is 
a new product claiming attention under auspices 
sufficiently attractive to arrest the purpose of 
the irrespressible planter who may be bent on opening 
more land tot tea. Mr Blackett's experiment in cotton 
near Gampola on an old coffee es ate, shows that 
cotton may be grown with advantage over a very 
considerable area of country in Ceylon by Europeans 
as well as natives. A number of experiments with 
cotton on established plantations are now to be made, 
so far relieving the pressure on tea and affording 
another string to the bow of the planter, against 
the day of trouble. 
" 'Tobacco " is also the object of attention ; but 
the difficulty of gettiDg suitable laud anywhere in 
