March 2, 1903.J THE TROPICAL AGPJCUL PURIST. 
THE GANGAWATTA ESTATE COM- 
PANY OF CEYLON (LTD.) 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS. 
Acreage : Tea in full bearing ... 335 acres 
,, partial bearing ... 2 „ 
,, not in bearing . . 8 ,, 
Grasa laud ... 10 ,, 
Total ... 355 acres. 
The Directors beg to submit their Sixth Annual Re- 
port and Statement of Accounts for the year ended 
3l8t December, 1902. 
The total Crop of tea secured for the year, including 
12 lb. carried orer from season 190], amounted to 
188,135 lb., against an estimate of 170,000 1b. a most 
aatisfaclory result in the face of a season, the second 
halt of which has been almost universally unfavorable. 
The whole of the crop, save l(»j500 lb. on which a 
safe average is struck, has been sold, in Colombo, and 
has realised E6?,175 94, or an average of 37'82 cents 
per lb, as compared with 38*G2 cents in the previous 
year- 
The yield is 560 lb. per acre. 
The cost of production, including 1*98 spent on 
maonre, works out 2513 per lb as against an estimate 
of 26 cents. In the expenditure is also included a sum 
of El,075'29, cost of repairing the dam, an unexpected 
item, and of course unprovided for. 
92 acres were mannied on the Bitterns Division with 
artificial manure. This completes the fiist round of 
manuring the property. 
The Working Account shows a net revenue of 
R23,475 94, to which has to be added a balance from 
last season of E168 and E2"50 transfer fee. Out of 
this an interim dividend of 3 per cent has been paid 
absorbing E5,355. After providing for interest (in- 
cluding interest on mortgage), for Superintendent's 
Commission, Auditor's and Secretariat Fees, there is 
an available surplus of R13,947'55, which the Directors 
propose should be apportioned as follows : — 
E. c. 
To Final dividend of 4 per cent ... 7,140 00 
To depreciation Account .. 1,050 00 
To Eeserve Account . . 4,50ii 67 
To Directors' Fees . . 1,000 00 
TolBalance to next season ,. 253 83 
Total 
.. 13,947 55 
The Estimate for 1903 points to a crop of 180,000 lb, 
expected to cost B47,5fc4'75, including cost of manure 
E5,180-00. 
In terms of the Articles of Association Mr W Ander- 
son retires by rolutiou from ihe Board of Directors and 
is eligible for re-election. 
The appointment of an Auditor for the current year 
rests with the Meeting. 
The Directors v/hh to record the loss they h»ve 
Bnatained by the sad death of their colleague, Mr 
Shelton Agar, since their last Meeting. 
KALUTARA PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
THE ANNUAL REPORT, 1902. 
Your Committee beg to present the annual report 
for 19i'2. " 
Membership,— The number of estates on the register 
is 28, one less than the number last year. 
Meetings.— Two General, three Committee, "and 
three Sub-coniniittee meetings were held. 
Caop Estimate.— 
Acreage 
Total in Total 
acreiige. bearing, tea crop. 
1903 ... 16,692 16,045 6,977,265 
Greeu Tea. Native Tea. 
2,206,265 139,500 
77 
--139 acres of tea-land were abandoned during the 
year. " 
19 •?.. 
Estimated Crop .. 6,970,743 
Actual Ci-op . , (5,072 519 
Labour.— The supply of thedistiict h-s been fully 
good duiiug the year, but more use has been mude of 
the resident Sinhalese than in late vears. Recently 
instances have occurred of ihe agents of other districts 
trying to recruit labour from us, and the general 
feeling at the close of the year was that the force was 
becoming unsettled, with a more or less general 
demand for increase of advances, which at present 
stand at a low average rate per head. 
The Mabket— for low country teas was very weak 
during the first part of the year, but latterly there 
has been some improvement, and the present year 
opens with much brighter prospects. 
Green Tea,— During the year 1,119,500 lb. of green 
tea have been made, which have found a ready sale 
at remunerative prices. 
Para Eueber. —Several small clearings have been 
opened, and there are now about 360 acre- in the 
district planted with rubber only, and it is estimated 
that there are 300,000 trees and plants of various a^es 
growing through the tea. 
Crop.— The output of the district shews a very 
considerable increase over that of the previous years 
amounting to 7 tons of cured rubber, against 3| tons 
in 1901. The excellent quality of our rubbtr has 
been well maintained and although the extreme price 
reahsed early in 1901 has never since botn obtained 
prices for Ceylon rubber in London continue to be 
considerably higher than the average paid for rubber 
from any other part of the world. 
Seed:— There has been a brisk demand for seed 
and plants duiing the year. Out of 1.300,COO seeds 
sold, only 414,000 were sent out of the Island, all the 
rest were despatched to various parts of Ceylon, the 
Kelaci VHlley taking the greater quantity, as well as 
most of the 460,500 plants, which were sold by various 
estates. 
Extensions;— Next year some 450 acres will be 
opened in rubber, and most estates are now planting 
It more or less generally through the tea. The 
amount of land suitable for robber cultivation is not 
large, so that the output will necessarily by limited. 
In view of the great probability of rubber being 
stolen, a sub Committee consisting of the Chairman, 
becretarv, and IMessrs Tipple & B^igot, was formed 
in April to consider this question. The matter waa 
referred to the Cf mniittee of the Planters' Associa- 
tion of Ceylon and is now in the hands of our 
Member in Council. 
Telegraph Extension to Neeoda:— Your Com-' 
mittee are glad to be able to report that the tele- 
graph office at Neboda, which this Association has 
^een ^agitating for since 1893, is to be opened very 
Postal Arrangements :— The postal service, 
which year Committee stated in last year's report 
was most unsatisfactory, has been altered and new 
gives general satisfaction. The thanks of the Associa- 
tion are due to the Postmaster-General for running 
the two services as asked for. 
Provincial Roads :— The very meagre expenditure 
u these roads has made it impossible for 
the Department to maintain them in a satisfactory 
conrtition. To maintain the roads in even passable 
order" at least double the money is required, and 
your Committee hope that during the ensuing year 
more liberal votes will be sanctioned. 
District Koads :— The residents much ap- 
preciate the work which has been done on the 
Tebnwana Anguratota bridle path, but the grtat 
proportion of the road is unfit for traffic, three bridges 
being in an unsafe condition. Tlie mmor ro .ds goner- 
ally are in fair order, but on some, notably the Tudu- 
gala-Ttbuwana ro:id, over which there is considerable 
transport of leaf and tea, the amount allowed for up- 
keep and repairs is quite iuadsqaate. 
