866 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [June 1, 1901. 
The total crops secured from the Company's estates 
during the twelve months amouated to 899,806 lb 
tea and 48,809 lb cinchona bark, the outturn of tea 
being 83,806 lb over estima.te, and 80.102 lb in excess 
of the previous year. 
In addition to the above, 80,283 lb of tea were 
manufactured for others, giving a total output from 
the Company's factories for the year of 980,089 lb. 
The yield from the tea-bearing area was 523 lb per 
acre, against 480 lb in 1899. 'The rate of exohanga 
was Is 4 27-64d., against Is 4id., and the price realised 
in the London and Colombo markets respectively 
averaged 6'94d. and 30^ cents, against 7-71d and 35 
cents for the preceding aeaaoa. The Company's acre- 
age remains unaltered at 1,963 acres, of which 1,720 
acres are under tea oulfciTation. 
The past year has been a most unfavourable one 
for tea producers generally, but it is hoped that the 
measures that are now being adopted to restrict 
output, both in Ceylon and India, will have the desired 
effect of placing the industry on a more satisfac- 
tory basis. 
The Ceylon Manager, Mr Kerr, resumed charge of 
the Company's affairs in Ceylon on 1st January last, 
and reports that the estates are all in excellent order. 
During his furlough Mr. G M Ballardie again kindly 
undertook the temporary management in Ceylon, and 
the Board appreciate the able manner in which 
the Company's interests have been looked after by 
that gentleman. The Directors also take this oppor- 
tunity of expressing their satisfaction with the work- 
ing of the Company's staff, both in Ceylon and London. 
The Directors have to record with much regret 
the death of their esteemed colleague, Mr. Donald 
Andrew. It is not at present proposed to fill the 
vacancy thus created. 
In accordance with the Articles of Association, Mr 
H L Forbes retires from the Board at this time, 
and, being eligible, offers himself for re-election. 
Mr J B Laurie, C-A., aisD offers himself for re- 
election as Auditor. H. L. Forbes, Obairmani 
London, 27th April, 190L 
The Ceylon Reduction in Output.— 
We have never been great believers in the 
effect, of an agreement to "rest" so much of 
our tea, on the London market. Even if 
Mr. Philip had been able to telegraph 8 or 10 
agreed in place of 3J million lb., we do not 
think the dealers and others would pay so 
much attention as they must do to the actual 
figures of shipment; and the fact, that we have 
already sent 2^ millions lb. less to London 
this year than last, should speak volumes as 
to the greater reduction still to come, owing 
to fine plucking. It is reas-suring to learn, by ' 
our Special Telegrams from Calcutta, that 
the Indian Tea crop must inevitably be short. 
Sport in Ceylon. — Our columns today 
afford an unusual supply of interesting 
I'eadipg on Sport in our Highlands, including 
a long and well-illustrated paper on ' Elk- 
hunting' by Mr. Thomas Fai'r, which we 
take into our Directory and Tropical Agricul- 
turist ivora the "Wide World Magazine" re- 
ceived yesterday ; and a special contribu- 
tion by Mr. H. Brown (now of Nyassaland) 
on his experiences after Elephant in the 
Balan<.^oda district. — To supplement these we 
receive, very opportunely, our representa- 
tive's defir'ri))tion of a visit paid this week 
to the Hoi 'toii Plain.';— so that no one can 
say our hiil country is not fully dealt with in 
our present issue. 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SIROCCO 
ENGINEERING WORKS. 
The extension of the business of Davidson and 
Co., Limited, of the Sirocco Engineering Works, 
Belfast, to the engineerins; centre of Westminster, 
where a branch office has been opened at 13, 
Victoria Street, led to a call a few days since 
from Mr. F G Maguire, who is the personal 
diiector of the London branch. Mr. Maguire's 
long connection with the firm in India and Ceylon, 
where he has made many friends, gave rise to 
a brief but interesting conversation on the subject 
of tiie tea industry, and the progress ot the tea 
machinery business founded by Mr. S C Davidson, 
branches of which, by the way, have been opened 
in Manchester and Glasgow; and show-rooms are 
being fitted up in Germany, Austria, and Russia, 
by specially appointed agents. "It was a case 
of small beginnings," said Mr. Maguire. " Mr. 
Davidson, himself a practical tea planter, believed 
he knew what planters wanted ; and he set to 
work to supply them ; the growth of the business 
has been remarkable. Beginning with an insigni- 
ficant building, the 'Sirocco' works have developed 
extensive proportions, wiiile ' Sirocco ' machinery 
is known whereever British-grown tea flourishes, 
and also in China and Java." 
Replying to further questions, he said : — 
"The boom in the Jamaica fruit trade has led 
to their use for refrigerating purposes on Board the 
British line of steamers engaged in the Jamacia 
trade. The buildings in which the fruit is stored on 
arrival at Bristol are also under the controlling 
action of the ' Sirocco ' fans, and if you keep 
your eye on the events I do not doubt but that 
you will see the application of the ' Sirocco ' fan 
to many other pmrposes, such as organ-blowing, 
elevating grain, tobacco, &c. But with all 
these developments in directions outside tea we 
continually keep the needs of tea-planters in view." 
— Home and Colonial Mail, April 19. 
MR. KELWAY BAMBBR'S GREEN TEA 
PROCESS. 
Mr. Kelway Bamber is the latest in the field 
with a tea-manufacturing process which he lias 
protected by patent. It having appeared to him 
that the present processes of green tea manufac- 
ture, as adapted for machinery, are defective, he 
has sought to supply the defects with the improve- 
ments which are the subject of the patent. The 
invention consists in the application of dry air or 
air saturated with water or steam alone, or with 
water and steam and carbonic acid gas, to the tea 
leaf during the processes of wilting, rolling and 
drying green tea, also the application of regulating 
gear so as to enable the operator to supply 
saturated air, saturated air combined with car- 
bonic acid gas, or dry air, or dry air and carbonic 
acid gas, at will, to the leaf during each or all of 
the above operations. The object of the process 
is to fix and retain the green colour of the leaf 
and thus prevent the discoloration unavoidable, 
as claimed by the inventor, in the present process 
of manufacture, and to prevent breakage and im- 
prove the twist of the leaf, thus enhancing the 
market value of the finished product. Mr. 
Bamber claims that he improves the present pro- 
cess by (1) admitting into the wilting machine, 
instead of steam only, dry hot air, or dry air 
satuiated with carbonic acid gas, or hot air 
