THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. fOcr. », 1&93. 
mineral oils as fuel: 
In tea factories in the neak future j 
and the cost. 
We have been much struck by the sdvanoe made 
of late yeara in the use of mineral oils for fuel 
for the generation of Bt(am. More particularly 
baa this been the oaBe in oonnection with the 
Gbicago Exposition. There, theee oils are the sole 
fuel employed for the large batteries of Lo lers 
Trbioh Bupply the eteam required to give motion 
to the many mechanical exhibits. Tbroughcut 
Southern Russia nearly all the railway lines, as 
well as a large proportion of the local steamer 
enterprises, are similarly served, and have been 
BO, we uaderstand, for a good many years past. 
These facts, as well as many others that could 
be quoted if necessary, euffioe to assure us that 
the difiSoultiea in the efficient burning of oil for 
the purposes mentioned have been overcome. 
Those difSoulties as generally experienced were 
serious, and it seemed hopeless at one time to 
expect that they would be surmounted. The 
feeding of the oil in the sbape of spray has, 
however, resulted in a success that has led to 
the widespread adoption of the system, and as 
we have above indicated, the latest development 
of it is to be seen at Chicago. 
Mow, every year is bringing about among our- 
Belvea an increased scarcity of fuel for estate 
laotories, especially in some of the older dis- 
triots The manufacture of tea makes a far greater 
demand upon our restricted and rapidly diminish- 
ing fnel supplies than did the processes connected 
With the ouriog of coffee. To a very great ex- 
tent, alEo, the trtatment of the bean pro:iuoed the 
fuel— coffee husk— required for steam generation. 
No such compensatory result attends the manu- 
facture of tta, and a scarcity of fuel is now felt 
in not a few upcountry localities that have 
hitherto been tolerably well supplied. It cannot be 
very long, we should gay, before the augmenting cost 
of wood fuel must cause many planters to look about 
for a substitute. The objeotione that when writ- 
ing some years ago on the subject of fuel for estate 
purposes, we advanced to the adoption of mineral 
oil, have now been largely removed by inventive pro- 
gress ; and there can be little doubt that 
are very long, several of our upcountry factories 
will become dependent for their fuel on imported 
oils. While this prospect is developing itself, we 
find ourselves face to face with the imposition of 
an increased duty on this material. Now every year 
has shonu that to meet competition, every means 
of economy must be praodsed both in the culti- 
vation and in the ^.reparation of tea. If, as we 
snticipate, the use of mineral oils on estates in 
large quantities becomes a necessity in the early 
tQture, how will our planting industry be effected 
by the increased duty to whioU we have referred ? 
Already, as we know, and even with the restricted 
purposes for while mmtral oils are now used in 
this island, this increase in the duty has led to con- 
Biderable dissatisfaction. How much more will this 
be increased when such fuel becomes a necessity 
vital to the well-being of our present chief industry ? 
We cannot ourselves say how far the present 
eoale of taxation would apply in the case of 
such oils as might have to be imported for 
healing purposes ouiy ; but we presume that these 
must come under the olassificacion on which an 
increased duty has recently been laid; There 
can be no doubt that if what we think is 
likely to occur in the future should take place, 
the present clamour against recent fiscal legislation 
will ba increased to a point which must ensure 
|ts ftbcogation. We are aware that some estates 
have already in part retorted to the 
use of coal fuel in oonseqnence of the failure 
in the supply of wood. Even at the 
present low scale of shipping frpigbte the price 
of coal laid down on seme estates amounts to 
£4 per ton, and this rate in one or two instances 
has been exceeded. It may not b« long before the 
existing rates of freight may become eeriouely 
higher. Tbey may even be approximately doubled. 
Is it likely that when such an increase ocoara 
the use of coal as in estate fuel can be main- 
tained ? With large ehifs specially built for the 
transport of the liquid fuel it is certain that (be 
use of mineral oil will be less expeotive 
tban that of coal. All that is needed to adapt 
furnaces for the consumption of oil is, fo wa 
read in the scientific jouinals, a very iotxpeDsive 
internal arrangement of bricks and mortar and an 
almost similarly inexpensive arrangemect of tubing. 
The change therefore would not involve a firi^t 
expenditure likely to deter tta planters from 
making it. But if a high rate cf import duty 
is to be maintained, not a few planters may find 
themselves cut tff from the use of a fuel which alone 
seems to promise them a road of escape from 
difficulties that may become embarraBBiog in the 
near future. 
♦ 
THE OLDEST CEYLON TEA ESTATES COM- 
PANY AND WHAT IT HAS DONE. 
We believe the latiyantota Tea Company Limited 
to be about the oldest connected with our staple 
industry. It commenced operations at the end 
of 1684 and during the year 1885 and 1S86 planted 
400 acres forest with Tea. The following dividande 
have since been paid : — 
per cent. 
Oa 18?8 working .. ..22 
1889 ,. .. ..25 
1890 „ .. ..26 
1891 „ .. ... 40 
1892 „ .. ... 30 
1893 „ (interim) ... 16 
157 
and the following sums have been set aside from 
profits to credit of en ' Extension Fond ' : — 
From 1889 working accoaoi .. fi($,600 
1891 „ ... 18,&00 
1892 „ .. 7,600 
R27,£.00 
It should not be overlooked that during the 
incubation period the shareholders got no interest 
on their capital, but they have been amply repaid 
since. 
The paid-up Capital of the Company now ia 
B100,000. It owns 1,440 acres of lana (Polatagama 
plantation in the Eelani Valley) nh.lst 669 acies 
are planted with tea. Mr. Geo. Maitland is the 
efQoient manager ; Mr. Chas. Young, Inspector of the 
Estate, and Messrs. Whittall & Go, Agents. The 
oldest of our Tea Companies certainly reflects 
credit on the Industry and Colony. 
^ 
TEA AND HELOPELTIS. 
A mid-Dimbula planter writes : — " I am pleased 
to say that I have seen no signs of the peat on 
this estate nor have I seen any on other cetatee 
ttiat I have travelled through in this district. I 
have not been to Eadugannawa lately, but my con- 
ductor there tells me be has seen nothing to die* 
tutb the flash on the trees." 
