32 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. TJuly 2. 1894. 
a very satisfactory state of things. This improvement 
in value Las come about by tbe extensions and de- 
velopments which have been carried on from year to 
j ear, the profitable result of which is shown by tho 
fact that, whereas in 1888 the crop of tea was 
986,0001b.. and the profit amounted to £12,000, in 
tbe present accounts the < rop recorded is 2,638,000 lb. 
of tea, giving a profit of £80,000. (Applause.) 1 think 
that is very good evidence of tbe improvement that 
has taken place. Further than that, I da not think 
the whole of the improvement in value which we 
may expect has yet come about, because there are 
about two thousand acres of tea still more or leei 
immature, and we may reasonably look for a farther 
improvement as they become fully developed. With 
regard to the price of tea, no doubt 8,Jd h a low price, 
and we shall like to see it higher; but it is a matter 
rf satisfaction to us that, while the price this year 
is nearly a penny less than last year, the cost of cultiva- 
tion has decreased to a larger extent, so that we have 
really made more profit per pound of tea than we did in 
tbe previous - ear, notwithstanding the fall in price. Aid 
that is not aocounted for to any great extent by a lower 
rate of exohange ; it is due almost entirely to a greater 
production p(r acre, which makes the cost per 
pound less, and aleo to greater e fhoieucy and economy 
iu management. Tbis result is obtained, too, after 
writing more than £5,000 off the costot buildicga ahd 
machinery, which i« equal to a halfpenny per pound 
of tea produced. That heavy charge will ci ntinue 
for about two years more, but after that time the 
amount will fall considerably. Our machinery and 
buildings are practically completed, and we write them 
off in a very draftic way for the sake of the future 
so that we shall hercalter get the benefit to be 
derived by pursuing this policy. With regard to the 
debentures, I have nothing to and to what the chairman 
said, beyond this. 1 think it is a matter of satisfaction 
that we were able to carry out their renewal by friendly 
negotiation with the bolr'erp, for the mutual interest of 
all parties, and that it cost us nothing in commission or 
brokerage. (Hear, hear.) I throughly agree with what 
fell from our chairman as to the services of our staff. 
We are indebted to them both in Ceylon and at home 
for what they have done during the past year in bring- 
ing things to tbe point at which we sea them. A great 
deal depends upon them, and I feel it a satisfaction to 
take tbis opportunity of recording our appreciation of 
their services. (Applause.) 
The resolution was carried unanimously. 
The Chairman next moved that Messrs. CD. Smith 
and E. Wabab, the retiring directors, be reappointed. 
Mr Smitb, be said, knew every acre of their property 
in Ceylon and every man employed there, so thtt he 
was very valuable to the company Mr. Wahab bruught 
to tbe board very great experience of Eastern matters. 
The motion was seconded by Mr. D. Reid and 
carried. 
Mr. Welton sa : d that the connexion he liad with 
tbe foundation of the company was not so well known 
fo the general body of shareholders as to himself, 
but bethought lie might fairly congratulate all con- 
cerned on the happy issue of the terms that were a-- 
ranged at that time. The prospects held out as to tbe 
future of the company had been more than fulfilled, 
ar.d he might say that the great intcri sts that ho re- 
presented in the matter were thoroughly satiefied 
with all that had been done. Mr. Cameron had taken 
an important part in the conduct of the company, 
and he (the speaker) felt that something more than a 
mere acknowledgment of the services of that gentle- 
man was due. lie therefore moved — "That the sum 
of £250 additional remuneration be paid to Mr. R. A 
Camoron, ss managing director of the company, tor 
the year 1894, and in future years until further order. 
( Applause.) 
Mr- Malcolm se'jordeid the resolu'ioa ici a tew well- 
chosen words, and Mr. Roberts beartlv si ppor ed th*> 
rropoeal, testifying as we'l as to the ability if BIr. 
Caneron as mtnaging diiector, and to tho uni'otm 
kindness and courtesy he had always received at the 
l ands of tfcat gentleu an jwh<n eeekiDg information 
with reference to tbe affairs of the company. 
The resolution wne carried with acclamation, and 
Mr. Caneron biiifly replied, remarking that it was 
pleasant to |. the confidence of tLoae for wb<>m 
one was wui king, and that tbe vo'e just pa<ae<f wonhl 
bo »u incentive lo hiui to continue to do hia beet in 
furthering the iuti rests of the company. 
♦ 
VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 
Tea Manoeactuke. — The whole quettioo of tea 
manufacture is cow being argued both in the North 
| and Ceylon in planting journals, and if tbe cor- 
respondence only continues as briskly as it bas 
I begun, the student of the literature on the 
I rsubject, should obtain some " tips " of use, 
' .Yom tbe many different systems advocate:).— Nigiri 
News. 
Lib?rian Coffee. — Somecne is trying to boom 
Libcrian Coffes in Ceylon now. There is cer- 
tainly money and perhaps a fortune in it, if 
judiciously planted, it is said, and specimen 
berries aie being cm round to tbe local press 
to show what can be done. Liberian Coffee has 
certainly sometimes proved a suocees where 
Arabica hue failed, in some parts of the Straits 
for instance — Pinang Gazette. 
Coconut Culture and Legislation. — Our 
correspondent " Proprietor " while arguing aa to 
the need of legislation in nfertnee to tbe extir- 
patiou of beetles and especially the red beetle 
I (Kandapt nuws). enemy of the coconut pslro. di e; 
not see how it is practicable to r revect the over 
crowding of palms snd ether fiuit tree s in native 
gardens. He asks if a ycurg clearing should be 
interfered with. Now, our idea is to allow a 
wide latiiu.le in the definition of what is overcrowd- 
ing. Where thcie is a reasonable prospect of 
trees bearing fiuit, we would not inliude and 
seldom or never is a young clearing Legun without 
such prospect. — It is afterwards tbe mischief is 
done through tbe owter sticking in a tree here 
and a plant there until he bas added 50 to 100 
per cent to the original clearing. We had in view 
native gardens to overcrowded that it is atmo-t 
impossible for any single tree to bear fruit, and 
we would, in such case 3 , have a headman or 
Agricultural Instructor, with a small jury of tbe 
villagers to decide what should be done, to enable 
such gardens to bring forth fm'.t in due season. 
Agricultural Teaching in the Elementary 
Schools of Jamaica, seems to he i_oing ahead 
We read in an exchange: — 
If the 90/00 children on our school registers have 
their eyes directed to lessons from the plant life 
around them, and are taught to .see, the adult 
peasant mind of a new generation will, not in a 
merely appreciable degree, but by many degrees 
be far in advance of the present. From the very 
nature of the case there will on the part of the 
foremost be a demand for further advances in agri- 
cultural education. Young teachers have for years 
been getting instruction on physics, chemistry, 
physiology and botany on tbe same lines as tben 
English and American brethren, and the application 
of these to agriculture has also been introduced 
and is now in force. The Code shows ihat they 
are required to know "the principles influencing 
the supply of plant food in the soil the necessity 
for cultivation, and the circumstances making 
i tillage more or less effective ; the principles in- 
fluencing the more ir less perfect supply of plant 
j food ; manures as supplementary sources ot plan* 
j food : the principles reanlating the growth of crops. 
I and the \ariations ha their vield and quality.' 
These things spr. ad out in the simple lessons 
i that may be given tc children of twelve to fourteen 
1 years, as has been done in the rural schoels ot 
England under the guiding influence of Tanner and 
others, are of the essence of all agricultural edu- 
cation and cannot fail to work out a revolution in 
i the habit of the peasant mind. 
