June 1, 1901.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
843 
The following is a Statement of the tea and carda- 
mom crops, with the yield of tea per acre for the 
same period : — 
'■ Yield of 
The net profit for the year amonnts ... ^6,753 4 2 
To which has to be added balance 
from 1899 account . , 2,896 11 1 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1903 
Tea. 
lb. 
228,360 
212,55,5 
206,626 
211,361 
218,572 
Carda- 
moms, 
lb. 
4,842 
8,291 
4,026 
4,211 
1,828 
Tea per 
Acre, 
lb. 
380 
360 
349 
357 
325 
The prospects for the current year are so far 
satisfactory, the estimated yield being 235,000 lb. 
of made tea and 3,000 lb dry cardamoms. Accord- 
ing to advices from Ceylon, the yield for the first 
two months of the present year was 5,000 lb. made 
tea in excess of the corresponding period last 
season. 
Mr. William Keswick, M.P., retires from the Board, 
in accordano3 with the Articles of Association, and, 
being eligible, offers himself for re-election. 
The Auditors, Messrs. W F. Peat & Co., also offer 
themselves for re-appointment. — By order of the 
Board, W. H. Bartlett, Secretary. 
London, 19th April, 1901. 
THE YATIYANTOTA CEYLON TEA 
COMPANY, LIMITED. 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS 
to be submitted at the fourth annual p;eneral meet- 
ing of shareholders, to be held at the London Com- 
mercial Sale Rooms, 30 to 34, Mincing Lane, 
Loudon, E.G., on Thursday, the 25th April, at 12 
noon : — 
The Directors now beg to submit their report, and 
the duly audited accounts of the Company, for the 
year ended 31st Deceuiber, 1900. 
The plucking area, in full and partial bearing, was 
2,854 acres, from which crops were secured amounting 
to 1,470,590 lb. In addition, 5,835 lb were made from 
purchased leaf, giving a total crop, as shewn in the 
Estates' Working Account, of 1,476,425 lb. Of this 
quantity, 701,430 lb were sold in Colombo, and 774.995 
'lb were shipped to London ; the net average reiilized 
for the whole being 4'56d per lb. Including purchased 
leaf, the average cost, f.o.b. (or delivered to buyers in 
Colomfec) was 3-40d per lb, and the average rate of ex- 
change for the year was Is 4 7-32d per rupee. 
The following is a comparative statement of the past 
three year's working : — 
2,700 0 0 
£9,649 15 3 
Dividends have been paid as follows : — 
On the preference shares at 6 per cent 
per annum — 
On 1st July, 1900. and 1st Janu- 
ary, 1901, viz :— 
On the ordinary shares — • 
In October, 1900, an interim dividend 
of 2 per cent was paid, which ab- 
sorbed .. .. 1,800 0 0 
£4,500 0 0 
Leaving now to be dealt with .. 5,149 15 3 
This the Directors propose to appor- 
tion as follows : — 
(1) In payment of a final dividend 
on the ordinary capital of 2 per 
cent (free of income tax), mak- 
ing in all 4 per cent for the year. . £1,800 0 0 
(2) In writing off cost of properties, 
including depreciation of Machi- 
nery and buildings ... 1,000 0 0 
(3) In oirrying forward to 1901 the 
balance of .. .. 2,349 15 S 
£5,149 15 3 
The following are details of the acreage of the 
different properties as on 1st January, 1901 : — 
Acreage under Tea. 
Partial Forest Re- 
Estate. Bearing. Bearing. Total, serves, &c. 
Polatagama 687 104 791 251 
WeoyaandNew 
Polatagama 632 95 727 345 
Walpola 821 50 871 145 ■ 
Kondura 496 85 601* 629 
2,636 334 2,990 1,370 
* 20 acres not yet in bearing 
The Directors trust that the steps which are now 
being generally taken to reduce output, in which on 
behalf of the Company they have signified their wil- 
lingness to join, will result in again placing the tea 
industry on a satisfactory basis, and that the accouuts 
for the current year will admit of a better return to the 
shareholder?. In terms of the Articles of Association, 
Mr C Young retires from the doard, and, being 
eligible, offers himself for re-election. Messrs. Cape & 
Dalgteish, O.A., offer themselves for re-election aa 
Auditors of the Company. 
cs ;i te 
lbs. lbs. 
1898 2.240 1,135,794 507 
1899 2,376 1.343,387 565 
f3 Ml 
p^s ■ 
<B 5 a) 
Q 
a -sen 
<i o Q ;z; 
3. d. d, d, 
1 4 5-64 3-62 5 35 
1 4 5-16 3-48 5-65 
1900 2,854 1,470,590 515 1 4 7-32 3-40 4-59 
The lower j ield per acre last year is due to the large 
proportion of young tea not in full bearing, viz, 500 
acres out of the plucking area of 2,854 acres. The 
Directors regret that the result of the year's working 
shows a considerable falling off as compared with that 
of 1899, but it will be seen from the above figures that 
this is attributable to the fact that the Company's teas, 
in common with those of all low-country properties, 
have shown a very marked decline in value, especially 
dirring the last six months of the year. 
GBNEP.AL CEYLON TEA ESTATES, LTD. 
The Directors beg to submit herewith the Accounts 
of the Company and their Report for the year ending 
December 31st, 1900, showing a profit of £8 560 
123 4d. ' 
After allowance for debsnture interest and other 
charges, there remains a snm of ^713 173 3d. at the 
credit of profit and loss, to which has been added a 
balance of £1,779 6s 8d. brought forward, from the pre- 
vious- year making a total of £2,493 3s lid. out of 
which the directors have written off £2,000 on account 
of depreciation of plant and machinery, and propose 
to carry forward the balance of £493 3s lid. The 
crops from the Company's estates amounted to 
2,525,0881b. tea,, exclusive of bought leaf, against an 
estimate of 2, .5,32 000 lb. 2,974 bushels of coffeo and 
214 cwts of cocoa. The tea cost sold in London 
.5. 14d, and realised 5. 79d per lb. The exchange for the 
year averaged Is 4 ll-32d. The yield per acre w^s 
505 lb. over the fields in full bearing. 
