I^ARtH ii 1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
611 
THE ALLIANCE TEA COMPANY OF 
CEYLON, LIMITED. 
We have already alluded to this Company 
which has now been fully constituted — all shares 
being taken up — as also to the several other 
Companies promoted by Messrs. Whittall & Co. 
From the prospectus of the Alliance, we quote : — 
In 6,000 Shares of £10 Each. 
The Directors have under negotiation the purchase of 
certain estates of which the following are particulars, 
viz : — 
1. Two estates— viz., Uda Radella in the Dimbula Dis- 
trict, and Aberdeen in Lower Dikoya District, the extent 
respectively of which is about as follows :— 
Uda Radella Aberdeen 
acres acres 
Tea in full bearing ■ - 310 385 
Tea in partial bearing - 30 18 
Tea not yet in bearing - 80 
Total tea, say - 420 403 ' 
Forest and waste land - 135 77 
Total Estate - 555 480 
These estates, according to returns from the Superin- 
tendents thereof, gave crops in 1893 amounting to 258,523 lb. 
tea, and according to recent advices from Ceylon the 
yield for 1894 was expected to be about 285,000 lb. The 
estimates for 1895 amount to 290,000 lb., at a probable 
cost of 28 cents per lb. f. o. b. Colombo, equal at current 
exchange to about 3§d per lb. Each estate posses a fac- 
tory and machinery ample for all requirements. 
The price proposed to be paid for these estates is £31,500. 
2. Five estates, viz., Calsay and Gleneagles, both in 
the Dimbula district, and Luccombe and Rutherford, in 
the Maskeliya district, and Elstree, in the Dikoya dis- 
trict. The three last-named are worked together as the 
Luccombe Group. The extent respectively of these estates 
is about as follows :— 
Calsay Gleneagles Luccombe 
Group 
acres acres acres 
Tea in full bearing • 248 170 527 
Tea in partial bearing • 57 45 190 
Tea not yet in bearing 36 — — 
Total tea, say < 341 215 717 
Forest and waste land < 46 7 200 
Total Estate • 387 222 91" 
The crops secured from tb^se estates in 1893, according 
to returns from the Superintendents thereof, amounted 
to 391,121 lb. tea. The 1894 crops, according to recent 
advices, are expected to be about 362,500 lb., the short 
fall being due to exceptionally unfavourable weather, 
but with a larger plucking acreage and with average 
weather it is estimated that 423,000 lb. tea will be produced 
in 1895, at a probable average cost of about 30 cents 
per lb. f. o. b. Colombo, equal at current exchange to 
about 3Jd per lb. There are factories on Calsay and 
Luccombe possessing .sufficient machinery, at which the 
cro_ps of those estates are dealt with, the produce from 
Gleneagles being manufactured on satisfactory terms on a 
neighbouring property. 
The price proposed to be paid for these estates is £36,500. 
The capital proposed to be raised is sufficient to pur- 
chase and work both of the above groups, and on a 
cautious basis of calculation it is estimated that, after 
providing for Debenture interest, depreciation of buildings 
and machinery, and all expenses incidental to the work- 
ing of the Company, dividends of io per cent, per annum 
on tlic share capital may reasonably be looked for. 
No promotion money or underwriting commission has 
been or will be paid in connection with the formation of 
the Company. The preliminary expenses will be kept down 
to the lowest, possible point and will lie charged in thtv.- 
equal instalments in the profit and lost accounts for 1895, 
ism;, and lsur, or earlier if sanctioned by tlic share- 
holders in general meeting. 
THE TALGASWELA TEA COMPAiNY, 
LIMITED. 
The annual general meeting of the Shareholders 
of this Company was held at the Company's 
Offices this afternoon. Mr. Herbert Tarrant was 
voted t<> tlic Chair, and the others present were 
Messrs. W. J. Robson, Geo. Armitage, H. Van 
Cuylonbcrg, W. H. Davies, J. F. Baker and T. 
W, Hall, The following ia a list of bhareholdera 
who were represented by proxy : — Mrs. Con- 
stance L. Scott, Messrs. Alex. Mitchell, J. 
C. Sanderson, J. L. Labouchiere, ft, Patey, 
J. J. Cater, Mrs. J. A. G. Cater, Mrs. G. A. 
Borrett, Messrs. John Guthrie, H. P. Cater, C. 
A. Cater, F. C. Loos, W. Hamilton, J as. Forbes, 
G. Chapman Walker, Mrs. H. L. Baker and 
Mrs. W. H. Davies. The notice convening the 
meeting and the minutes of the last meeting 
were confirmed. 
The Chairman desired that the Report be taken 
as read, whereupon 
Mr. Robson said he would wish to make 
a few remarks. He considered the present 
state of aiiairs very unsatisfactory. He re- 
gretted to see that all the Directors were not 
present, more especially Mr. Grigson. The report 
itself was most unsatisfactory. Last year hopes 
were raised that the crop would rise to 160,000 lb. 
of tea, but the result has only shown about 
two-thirds of this. He was once asked to visit 
the estate and express his opinion on the subject. 
At that time he had full hopes of the results 
being good, but as it is at present, — if it con- 
tinues to be so,— in two or three years more there 
would be no tea. What he would suggest would 
be that the hope of giving any dividend for the next 
two or three years be given up, and that the whole 
estate be thoroughly and systematically man- 
ured. Mr. Grigson puts down the cause of 
these unsatisfactory results to unfavourable 
weather. Perhaps it may be so — but only to a 
certain extent. For himself, he would attribute 
the cause of the present state of the estate, to 
starvation of the place caused by neglect. In con- 
clusion, he would again say that the only hope that 
remains is in thorough and systematic manuring. 
Mr. Hall desired to know if the estate 
were manured, if the property would prove 
valuable. 
Mr. Robson could not possibly say it would 
be considered valuable, but that is the only hope 
they can have in bringing round the estate. Por 
the present, the strength in the trees is only 
maintained by the wood. 
Mr. Baker asked if Tamil labour had proved 
successful. 
Mr. Robson said that Tamils could not work 
there. He understood that t he Sinhalese who were 
once employed there were replaced by Tamils 
during Mr. Broadhurst's absence, as Mr. Broad- 
hurst only could manage the Sinhalese. 
Mr. Hall said that the few remarks that fell 
from Mr. Robson regarding the Visiting Agent 
were too sweeping. He referred, not to their Visit- 
ing Agent only, but he regarded the Visiting 
Agents as one parcel. The Visiting Agent's 
report showed that the average of 48 -94 cts. re- 
presented the gross average, whilst 47"83cts. re- 
presented the nctt average per lb. The avterage 
of tea sold up to date was 59*62 cts. as against 
35'55 cts. during the corresponding period of last 
year. The estimate of expenditure for 1896 was 
R40,800. The estimate of produce for 1895 was 
120,000 lb. This, however, has since been raised 
to 130,000. He would propose that R3,500 be 
set aside for purposes of artificial manuring, 
during the present year, leaving aside any other 
means of manuring that might be suggested here- 
after. He would also propose to spend a cer- 
tain small sum on planting portions of the 
estate with coconuts. 
On the Chairman calling attention to the 
report, Mr. Van Cuylenbergseconded its adoption. 
Mr. W. H. Davies proposed and Mr. T. w. 
Hall seconded that Messrs. Uc.i. Animate and. 
I W. J, Robson bo appointed directors for thq 
