458 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jan. t, 1895. 
TALIPOT PALMS IN FLOWER. 
Mr. W. L. H. Skeen writes to us :— *' I 
send you with this three [photographs of a 
Talipot in flower. It is not quite up to the old 
Allagalla one I took 24 years ago, hut still is a, 
very line specimen. There are a great number in 
tlower just now in the Central Province/' We 
thank Mr. Kkeen for his information as well as 
for the really very fine photographs lie sends, 
representing three separate specimens of the 
grandest floral display any one tree in the world 
has to show and each, under varying circumstances 
which make it difficult to say which is more 
attractive and interesting. In the first we have 
a grand specimen of the palm fronting and 
towering over a grove of minor palms, the old 
leaves hanging down round the stem and leas - 
ing the plume-like flowers in full contrast. 
Secondly, we have a talipot in flower contrast ed 
with a single areca whose slender stem (like an 
arrow shot to the heavens) was never Letter dis- 
played ; and, thirdly, we have a talipot hacked by 
a forest-clad mountain ridge, the flowers coming 
out on the palms with almost snowy white- 
ness. Altogether, we have seldom soen three 
more successful or pleasing representations and 
we heartily congratulate Mr. Skeen on the result, 
Nicely mounted they should form very accep- 
table New Year gifts from Ceylon. 
THE CAROLINA TEA COMPANY OF 
CEYLON, LIMITED. 
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS. 
Your Directors have the pleasure to submit the 
General Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account 
for the year ending 30th June, 1891, duly audited, 
and shewing a surplus of £9,575 3s 7d, which accord- 
ing to the Articles of Association of the Company, 
it js proposed to appropriate as follows :— 
Nett Profit .. •• £9,575 3 7 
Debenture Interest ..£2,450 0 0 
Dividend on Ordinary Shares 
at 10 per cent per annum . . 5,000 0 0 
Proposed to place to Eeserve 
Fund .. •• 1-200 0 0 
Leaving a Balance of . . 
Half of which belongs to the Holders of 
the Deferred Shares 
Leaving to the Holders of the Ordinary 
Shares » . • • _. 
Prom which it is proposed to 
pay a further Dividend of 1 
per cent, making 11 per cent 
in all on the Ordinary 
Shares, absorbing . . £500 0 0 
Leaving aBalance to be carried 
forward to the Credit of the 
Ordinary Shares of . . 17 10 
8,650 
0 
0 
£925 
3 
7 
462 
11 
10 
462 
11 
9 
38 
6 
1 
£500 
17 
10 
£500 17 10 
The Tea Crop from the Company's Estates amounted 
to 778,957 lb., being at the rate of 476 lb. per acre 
on 1,035 acres, as compared with 705,944 ib. last 
season at 428 lb. per acre. In addition 114,401 ib. of 
Tea were made from Purchased Leaf against 72,908 lb. 
in 1892/3. The average gross sale price was 9'lOd 
per lb. as compared with 9'50d per lb. last season. 
The cost of manufacture of 'i'ea and placing on 
steamer in Colombo has been reduced from 5-26d. 
per lb. last season to 4'79d per lb. In addition to 
the Tea Crop 360 cwts. of Cocoa and 56 cwts. of 
Liberian Coffee were snipped. The Cocoa Crop was 
121 cwts. in excess of last season, but this, increase 
has been neutralized by the low prices obtained. The 
Directors consider it to be satisfactory that notwith- 
standing the fall iu the price of Tea during tin- year, 
tne dividend bus been maintained tit practically 
tiie same rate as that of lun year, while the 
Keserve Fund has been increased to Jt'2,4uu, and in 
addition a special sum of £819 19s. 4d. has been 
placed to Suspense Account, be ;ng net proceeds 
realised from tbe sale of Timber. Mr. Meggiuson, 
tiie Superintending Manager in Ceylon, reports that 
all the Company s properties continue in excellent 
condition. The total quantity of land under Tea 
which is now being plucked is 1,030 acies; of 
planted land not yet ready for plucking, 402 acres ; 
and of new land cleared lor planting, ls4 acres. It 
is also estimated that some 441 acres are available 
for future clearing and planting of Tea. The Direc- 
tors have to express their entire satisfaction with 
the work of the Superintendents and their Staff. 
DRUG REPORT. 
(From Chemist and Jjru<jyi$t.) 
London, Not. 22nd. 
Annatto.— Slow of sale. At auction Uslay 4 bags 
dull Jamaican seed were suld without reserve at 4d per 
11) mi condition tint t lie amount re ilised should defray 
the charges. 
Cinchona.— The only important parcel offered at to- 
day's auctions was one of 115 packages bold thin Mat 
rather bright cultivated Bolivian OaliMm ; 54 packages 
sold at stead) prices, lirst-class dam.igcd at In ad. se- 
cond class and badly damaged at from Is lu down to 
lUd per lh. 
UAKPBIHB remains exceedingly scarce. Kuiall second- 
hand parcels of the alkaloid have ch.iiiged hands this 
week at l'.is per lh, and there is no mure to he liad now 
below 19s (id per lh. we understand, in fact, lh.it a small 
lot has actually changed hands at lUs Od per lh. 
Kola.— In somewhat better supply. Thirty-nine pack- 
ages were offered today, and 14 sold at a decline of 
about 2d per lb ; West ludiao good bright to slightly 
mouldy at Is (id to Is 7d per lh ; very common damaged 
at Bd per lh. 
Vanilla.— The hulk of today's supply was in second 
hand. Most of it sold at full prices : good crystallised 
5 to 7 inches, 15s to lss ; medium brownish 7 to 7J 
inches, 13s Cd to 1.1s (5d ; good crystallised, 3$ to 5 inches 
12s 6d to 15s ; common, from 8s ed to 6s ed. A 00-1 h lot 
of dull Fiji vanilla realised Us ed per lh. 
INDIAN PATENTS. 
Calcutta, the 8th Nov. 1894. 
Applications in respect of the undermentioned in- 
ventions have been filed during the Week ending 
3rd November 1894: — 
Improvements in Machinery for Drying Leaves 
of the Tea Plants.— No. 302 of 1894— Alfred'Horatio Bell 
Sharpe, of 32, Charlesworth Terrace, Foss Bank 
Lincoln, in the Co. of Lincoln, England, Engineer, 
for improvements in machinery or apparatus for 
drying leaves of the tea plant, the same being ap- 
plicable for drying other analogous substances. 
Improvements in Apparatus for Disentangling or 
Separating Tea Leaves. — No. 303 of 1894 — William 
Jackson, of Thorn Grove, Mannofield, Aberdeen, 
North Britain, Gentleman, for Improvements in ap- 
paratus or machinery for disentangling or separat- 
ing tea leaves, that get interwoven or united to 
each other in the process of rolling. — Indian Engineer, 
Nov. 17th. 
Calcutta, Nov. 29. — -Whereas the inventors of the 
undermentioned inventions have respectively failed 
to pay, within the time limited in that behalf the 
prescribed fee, it is hereby notified that the exclusive 
privilege of making, selling and using the said in- 
ventions in British India and of authorizing others 
to do so has ceased : — 
Improvements in Furnaces. — No. 168 of 1S89. — Mr. 
W. A. Gibbs' invention for improvements in or con- 
nected with furnaces, and apparatus for the produc- 
tion of hot air and for drying coffee, withering and 
finishing tea, and for other drying purposes. (Speci- 
fication filed 22nd August 1889.)— Indian Engineer. 
