April 1, 1901.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
68a 
A TYPICAL PICTURE OF THE INDIAN ABTIST AT WOEK, 
The whole trade of Delhi may be said to be in the 
hands of Fakir Chand, who practically supplies all 
the jewellers in Chandni Chowk. Neither there nor 
in Amritsar is any special caste identified exclus- 
ively with the art, like the sunar of the gold and 
silver industry. Profits vary, of course, but all 
round it cannot at best be termed a remunerative 
business. The 'necessary tools, although rude, are 
numerous (some 38) ; altogether considerable outlay 
is incurred, and returns are long in coming. Good 
prices are sometimes obtained ; in the winter of 1899, 
for instance, a certain chef d'ceuvre realised £500 ; 
another beautiful carving of some Hindu gods was 
valued at B2,500 ; but the latter was executed fifty 
years before it found a purchaser. The prevailing 
inadequacy of prices, indeed, is considered to affect 
greatly the quality of the work in general. It is to 
be noted, however, that when goods are specially 
ordereJ, the greatest skill is devoted to their pro- 
duction, and amongst these tbe best specimens of 
work are to be found. 
IN AMBITSAB, 
the work being of a much less ambitious 
character than in Delhi, the apprenticeship to 
be served is shorter and less arduous. Lads at from 
ten to twelve are bound for six mouths or a year 
to a master-craftsman, who sets them to work in 
soft woods, then on to harder and harder, until hand 
and eye can be trusted to be employed on the costly 
ivory, the pay gradually mounting with the degree 
of skill attained. Here the most that even trained 
workmen expect to earn ia from US to RIB a month 
' — a very poor wage compared to that of superior 
workers in Delhi, but then the best of Amritsar 
carved work can only be compared with the cheap 
goods turned out by Lala Ghand. The work in 
Amritsar consists of (1) bangle-making, and (2) toy, 
figures, and such ordmary useful articles as combs, 
paper cutters, zurmadani (little boxes to contain the 
black antimony wherewith the Eastern belle inten- 
sifies the blackness of her eyelashes), card cases, as 
also the geometrical and floral designs for inlaying 
work in wood or metal. Hoshiarpur is described as 
the main centre of the inlaying industry and manu- 
facture of decorative furniture, although bangle- 
turning ia also carried ou to a certain extent. One 
learns with regret that the future of the ivory 
carving trade in Delhi is generally regarded as by 
no means assured, although Mr. Ellis takes a less 
gloomy view. Naturally the arts are no longer 
patronised as they once were by Native Courts, 
while the classes to whom most wealth has come 
under British rule have unfortunately small pre- 
•tensions to artistic taste. On the other hand, the 
market has widened in another direction ; year by 
year the swarms of tourists increase in volume, and 
artistic products are eagerly sought and purchased, 
though not always, or perhaps often, with much 
discrimination. — Pioneer, March 2nd. 
CHEAP. ESTATES IN THE WEST INDIES. 
Reviewing a paper in Blackioood for February 
9bh, the Spectator says : — 
The author of " My House in the West Indies " 
not only gives a charming picture of the delights 
of winter residence on the shores of the Carib- 
bean Sea, but throws a good deal of light on the 
economic situation in a typical West Indian island, 
in which sugar has been superseded by arrowroot 
and cacao, and the constitutionally indolent natives 
are confronted with increasing difficulty in finding 
the rent to pay for their provision-grounds. The 
only hope of financial salvation, in the writer's 
view, is the influx of new blood and new capital; 
" not winter residents like myself, but young men 
with enough money, after paying for their estates 
(which may now be had cheaply enough), to work 
a small sugar-plantation up to the first crop with- 
out borrowed money." 
THE UVAKELLIE TEA COMPANY OP 
CEYLON, LTD. 
THK REPORT 
was submitted as follow.s : — 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS. 
The Directors have now to submit their Report 
and Accounts for the year ending 3lst December, 1900. 
The crop amounted to 162,110 lb. Tea costing 
26-95 cts. pet- lb. against 152,660 lb., costing 26-82 cts. 
in 1899. The amount of profit earned is R24,422-54 
which is equal to 10 per cent on the Capital of the 
Company. 
After estimating the unsold tea at a safe figure, 
the crop has realized 43"39 cts. per lb against 41'67 cts. 
in 1899 which the Directors consider highly satis- 
factory. 
After adding R925-19 surplus proceeds of tea esti- 
mated last year and R187-80 balance brought forward, 
the amount available for distribution is R25,535*03, 
After paying an interim Dividend of 3 per cent and 
writing off 7i per cent for Depreciation on Buildings 
and Machinery, the profit amounts to R16, 297-15, 
and the Directors recommend that this amount be 
disposed of as follows : — 
By the payment of a final Dividend of 5i per cent] 
(making 8i per cent for the year) 
absorbing. ..R13,200 00 
By carrying a sum to Reserve, of... 2,000-00 
By the payment of Bonus to Superin- 
tendent of . . . . . . 500-00 
By carrying forward the balance of 597*15 
R16,297'15 
The Estimate for the current year is 162,000 lb, 
Tea to cost R45,739-50. 
In terms of the Articles of Association Mr. W 
Kingsbury retires from ;the Board, but being eligible 
offers himself for re-election. It will also be ne- 
cessary to appoint an Auditor for 1901. By order 
of the Board of Directors, J. M. Robbetson & Co., 
Agents and Secretaries. 
Colombo, March 1st, 1901. 
The Chairman, in submitting the report, said 
that as it had been in their hands for some time it 
might be talien as read. There was net much to 
say on it. Their tea showed a profit of 16*44 cents 
per lb and even in their plucking there was a pro- 
fit of R57"86 this year for each acre. The price 
realised for the tea this year was 43-39 cents as 
against 41-67 last year. This piofit, he thought, 
was largely due to the good work done by their 
Superintendent. He then moved the adoption of 
the report. 
♦ 
KNAVESMIRE ESTATES COMPANY. 
THE REPORT 
was submitted as follows : — 
The Directors have the pleasure to submit the 
balance sheet and profit and loss account for the year 
ended 31st December, 1900, duly audited. 
The profit for the year ia R24,488-38, to which must 
be added B4,08i-71 balance from 1899. 
An interim dividend of 2i per cent absorbing 
B10,375 was paid last September, and the Directors 
propose that a further dividend of ij per cent be paid 
absorbing R6,225, and that the balance K5,394-68 after 
providing for Directors' fees be carried forward. 
The profit earned represents a return of E5-90 per 
cent on the capital of the Company, and is equai to 
R50"40 per acre on the area in bearing. 
The total tea crop secured waa 323,118 lb., or 
23,118 lb. more than estimated for. The plucking area 
was 486 acres giving 664 lb. per acre. Total amount 
of tea for disposal was 337,232 lb. including 14,114 Iba 
made from purchased leaf. Tea sold to end Slst Dec. 
was 285,135 lb. netting R28*49 cents per lb, leaving 
