194 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Sept,  i,  1892. 
THE  MADRAS  AGRI-HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 
NOTES  ON  TREES  IN  THE  GARDENS. 
Canella  alba  (Ganellacete). — An  evergreen  tree 
reaching  30  to  40  feet,  a native  of  .Jamaica,  Cuba  and 
other  West  Indian  Islands,  common  in  the  woods  of 
the  lowlands  and  lower  hills  ; is  called  white  wood  or 
wild  cinnamon.  Our  specimen  is  a compact  growing 
bush  of  about  13  feet  high,  with  glossy,  entire,  alter- 
nate, exstipulate,  spathulate  leaves,  arranged  in 
rosettes  of  10  to  15  at  the  tips  of  the  white-barked 
branchlets,  flowers  dark  orange,  in  much  branched 
terminal  corymbs  of  from  60  to  100  flowers  lasting  a 
long  time,  as  only  a few  flowers  open  at  a time.  The 
flower  is  described  in  the  Treasury  of  Botany,  p.  213, 
and  on  p.  121  of  vol.  I.  of  Hooker  and  Benth.  Gen. 
plant,  as  having  no  petals,  though  they  are  accredited 
to  it  in  D.  C.  Prod,  vol,  I.  p.  563,  Trimen's  Med.  Plant, 
I.  p.  26  and  Griesbach  W.  Indian : FI.  p.  109. 
Canella  alba  bark  is  an  aromatic  stimulant  and  slight 
tonic.  In  the  West  Indies  it  is  used  as  a condiment — 
Watts  in  his  Die.  Ec.  Pro.  II.  89  thinks  that  the  tree 
might  be  cultivated  in  India  for  the  sake  of  its  bark, 
which  is  imported  and  sold  by  druggists.  The  plant 
is  figured  in  Trimen’s  Med.  Plants,  t.  26,  but  probably 
from  a meagre  specimen. 
Diospyros  Montana  (Ebenacete). — A moderate  sized 
tree,  20  to  30  ft.  with  spinescent  branches ; flowers 
during  the  hot  season  and  docs  not  cast  its  leaves  till 
the  new  leaves  come  out.  Leaves  pubescent  or 
tomentose  always  alternate,  varying  in  shape  from 
ovate  to  oblong  with  the  base  cuneate  or  cordate  on 
the  same  branch,  male  flowers  numerous  with  about 
8 filaments  and  sixteen  anthers,  female  and  herma- 
phrodite flowers  solitary  with  about  8 single  stamens. 
Fruit  globose,  1 inch  in  diameter  supported  by  the 
enlarged  leathery  calyx,  seeds  2-8,  albumen  not 
ruminated.  Native  of  India  from  Himalayas  to  Ceylon, 
distributed  over  Burma,  Malaya  to  Trop.  Australia. 
Rox.  Corom.  pi.  p.  38,  says  that  the  timber  of  this  tree 
is  variegated  with  dark  and  white  coloured  veins  and 
is  hard  and  very  durable.  It  is  figured  in  Rox  : Cor. 
PI.  t.  48  and  in  Wight  Ic.  t.  1,225.  Flowers  hyacinth — 
scented. — Proceedings  of  the  Aijri-H.orticultv.ral  Society  of 
Madras. 
THE  ORIENTAL  BANE  ESTATES  COMPANY, 
LIMITED. 
Report  of  the  Board  of  Directors  to  be  presented 
to  the  Shareholders  at  the  Sixth  Annual  Ordinary 
General  Meeting,  to  be  held  at  Winchester  House,  Old 
Broad  Street,  London,  E G , on  Wednesday,  July  27th, 
1892,  at  noon. 
The  Directors  have  much  pleasure  in  submitting  to 
the  Shareholders  their  report  of  proceedings  during  the 
Sixth  year  of  the  working  of  the  Company. 
The  net  profit  as  shewn  in  the  audited  accounts  an- 
nexed hereto  amounts  to  £31,101  14s  lOd  (including 
£2,392  0s  3d  brought  forward)  as  against  £28,052  2s  7'1 
last  year.  An  interim  dividend  of  3s  Gd  on  the  Preferred 
Shares  aod  of  6d  on  the  fully  paid  Ordinary  Shares, 
and  of  a proportionate  amount  on  the  partly  paid 
Ordinary  Shares  was  paid  in  February  last,  but 
the  Directors  are  of  opinion  that  in  the  face 
of  the  considerable  destruction  of  crop  and  there- 
fore of  working  capital  which  was  caused  by  the 
late  hurricane  in  Mauritius  on  the  29 1 li  April,  it  would 
not  bo  in  accordance  with  their  duty  to  Shareholders 
to  recommend  the  further  division  of  the  above  net 
profits. 
The  sugar  orop  during  the  pa=t  year  was  of  a 
moderate  character,  the  export  of  the  island  being 
somewhat  below  the  average,  hut  the  profits  made  on 
the  working  shewed  a good  increaso. 
The  occurrence  of  the  hurricane  is  particularly  to 
be  regretted  because  it  has  so  much  reduced  the 
condition  of  the  crop  to  be  cut  shortly,  which  was 
one  of  the  finest  ever  produced  on  the  island  nud 
which  would,  had  it  matured  uninjured,  have  yielded 
profits  to  the  Company  to  a large  amount, 
Skilful  measures  have  been  taken  by  the  Company’s 
Officers  in  Mauritius  for  repairing  the  damage  to  build- 
ings and  the  Directors  are  glad  to  report  that,  except 
at  the  Cent  Gaulettes  fsc'ory  the  injury  caused  is 
not  large  when  the  Dature  of  the  tempest  is  considered  : 
all  the  factories  will  be  in  working  order  ly  crop  time. 
In  Ceylon  the  progressive  increase  m the  output  of 
tea  and  the  profit  therefrom  has  been  maintained.  The 
cocoa  aud  coffee  extensi  ns  tim  er  shadewre  pr<  greas- 
ing very  favourably,  and  the  general  couditi  n of 
the  estates  in  that  island  is  reported  to  bo  excellent. 
In  accordance  with  the  Articles  of  Association,  Mr. 
J.  C.  Shaw  retires  from  the  Board,  and,  being  eligible, 
offers  himself  for  re-election. 
The  Auditors,  Messrs.  Welton,  Jones  & Oo.,  also 
retire  from  office,  end  have  expressed  their  readiness 
to  act  if  re  elected.  — By  order  of  the  Board,  Henry 
Green,  Secretary.  J3tfi  July  1892. 
The  Oriental  Bank  Estates  Company,  Limited. 
Balance  Sheet  to  31st  March  1892. 
Dr. 
LIABILITIES. 
Paid-up  Capital— 
226,816  Only.  Shares£l  each  fully  paid 
1.446  „ „ „ „ Is 
40,102  Pref.  £5  „ fully  pant 
4§  per  tent  Mortgage  Debentures 
Sundry  Creditors— 
Acceptances 
Accounts  Payable  ... 
Balance  (as  per  Profit  and  Loss  Account) 
£ s.  d. 
...  226.816  0 0 
72  6 0 
...  204,510  0 0 
4 31,308  6 0 
. . 150,060  0 0 
...  20,000  0 0 
...  106,207  8 0 
...  18,271  13  8 
725,877  7 8 
Cr. 
ASSETS. 
Cost  of  Estates,  including  extensions, 
buildings  aud  machinary 
Stock  of  Stnrar,  Tea,  Cinchona,  Cocoa, 
Coffee  and  Cardamoms  in  hand 
Office  Furniture.. 
Stores  in  Ceylon  and  Mauritius 
Sundry  Accounts  receivable,  &c. 
Advanced  on  Mortgage 
Shares  in  Companies 
Cash  in  hand 
£ s d. 
..  454,354  18  0 
...  59,808  19  11 
833  5 3 
...  5,580  8 2 
. . 59,425  10  9 
..  73.831  11  5 
..  55,556  10  0 
..  16,397  4 2 
725,877  7 8 
Profit  and  Loss  Account  to  31st  Marota  1892. 
Dr.  £ s d 
Produce  in  hand  31st  March  1891,  esti- 
mated to  realize 48,780  2 7 
Upkeep  of  Estates  and  Charges  in  Ceylon, 
Mauritius  and  London. . | 104,334  9 0 
Interest  on  Mortgage  De- 
bentures  £6,750  0 0 
Interim  Dividend  paid  in 
February  J892 12,830  1 2 
Balance 18,271  13  8 
37,851  14  10 
190,966  6 5 
James  Charles  Shaw  and 
Grant  Heatly  Tod-Heatly  Directors. 
Cr.  £ 8 d 
Balance  of  profit  from  last  account 
after  payment  of  the  dividend 2,392  0 3 
Produce  in  hand  31st  March  1892,  esti- 
mated to  realize  net 59,898  19  11 
Proceeds  of  Produce  realized  to  31st  March 
1392,  aDd  profits  arising  from  Agency 
Business,  &c 128,675  6 3 
190,066  6 5 
Alex.  William  Crichton  and 
William  Cotton  Kohde,  Managing  Dircts. 
Henry  Greky,  Secy. 
