Sept. 1, 1899.] THE TEOPICaL AGRICULTURIST. 
197 
THE PINE HILL ESTATES COMPANY, LTD, 
The sixth ordinary general meeting of this 
Company was held on "the llth, Aug. in the office of 
Messrs Mackwoocl& Co. Mr. Bovvle-Evans occupied 
the chair ^and the others present jwere : Mr. T B 
Campbell, Mr. McGillivray, Mr. R E Prance ; by 
proxy Messrs. YeoU Thorne, Frederick Hnnter, S 
H Dyer, Mrs. J Kennedy, Mr. C D M Hunt, Mrs. 
Prance, and Mrs. E L Owen. 
The report was submitted as follows : — 
The Directors have the pleasure to submit their 
Sixth Annual Eeport. 
The unsuitable weather experienced on the estates 
both in the first and second halves of the year has 
resulted in a considerable shortage of crop, 124,000 lb., 
being manufactured against an estimate of 150,000 lb., 
exclusive of bought leaf. 
In spite of this, the profit and Loss Accounts after 
writing off fifteen per cent for depreciation on machi- 
nery, shows a balance of R10,627'77 
Which the Directors propose 
to use in paying at once a divi- 
dend of five per cent, absorbing R10,437'G0 
Ami carrying forward to the 
present season . . 190*77 
E10,627-77 
New Cleaeing. — The lOlj acres has been nearly 
completed, and the Visiting Director reports that the 
work has been carefully carried out. 
The Directors are of opinion that improved Teas 
might be made in a larger and better equipped Fac- 
tory, and as this new expenditure will be necessary in 
any case when the new clearing comes into bearing 
they have authorised the expenditure of some of the 
uninvested capital on Factory extension, machinery 
and water-course. The work has already been begun 
and the estimate of cost is R12,200"00. 
The Directors in view of shortfalls of crop in recent 
years, think that a regular system of manuring should 
be adopted, and suggest that one-third of the Estate 
should be taken in hand annually. Ninety acres for 
this year has already been begun. 
According to the Articles of Association Mr. H. St. 
C. Bowie Evans retires from the Board of Directors, 
but being eligible offers himself for re-election. 
On the motion of Mrs. Kennedy, seconded by 
Mr. Dyer, the report was adopted. 
On the motion of Mr. Prance, seconded by 
Mr. Campbell, a dividend of five per cent was 
declared. 
Mr. Bowie Evans was unanimously re-elected 
a Director as was Mr. Guthrie an Auditor, and 
the proceedings terminated. 
CEYLON INVESTMENT ASSOCIATION. 
GENERAL MEETING. 
The ordinary general meeting of the Ceylon 
Estates Investment Association, Limited, was 
held recently, 
Mr. Robert King, Chairman of the Association, 
presided. In submitting the annual report, the 
Chairman said that the result of the year's work- 
ing was £344 better than the previous year. lb 
was still disappointing, however, owing entirely 
to the smallness of the crop through unfavour- 
able weather. The crop for the past year was 
237,152 1b.. as against 255,8201b., a decrease this 
year of 18,668 lb. While the crops were smaller, 
however, prices had been higher. For the current 
yearthecrop harvested since 1st April was 13,172 lb 
in excess of that harvested for the same date last 
year, so that, if it only kept up, the future pros- 
pects were very good. 
The report was adopted. — Dundee Courier. 
26 
THE SCIENTIFIC OFFICER FOR THE 
TEA DISTRICT. 
VIEWS OF DR. WATT. 
The following is the text of the letter from Dr. Watt 
to Sir Patrick Playfair on the subject of a scientific 
officer for the tea district : — 
Dear Sir Patrick Playfair, — I shall answer your 
enquiries categorically. You ask my opinion regard- 
ing the proposal to employ a Scientist to investigate 
numerous difficulties connected with the cultivation 
and manufacture of tea. Hitherto I have been con- 
sulted mainly as to the employment of an officer to 
investigate the problems that hinge on the pests and 
blights of the tea plant. It is true these would be very 
nearly covered by the investigation of the difficulties 
connected with cultivation, but I presume are altogether 
unconnected with the problems of manufacture. It 
would thus seem to me that the first step would be to 
definitely fix the field of operations contemplated for 
the proposed Scientific officer. If the Association expect 
to find a man capable to deal as an expert 
with every aspect of tea I venture to think that they 
are mistaken. It might be possible to secure a Biolo- 
gist who could conduct useful and practical investiga- 
tion into pests and fungal blights of the tea plant 
(but even here Entomology and Mycology are two 
widely different studies, and no single person can be 
an expert in both sciences). But that a Biologist 
could be an expert chemist at the same time, is con- 
trary to all experience in such matters. Some few 
years ago the Association brought to India a chemist 
(Mr. Bamber), and he furnished a report which no 
doubt most of the members of the Association have 
read. Its practical value is, therefore, a point I need 
not deal with. At the present moment the Ceylon 
planters have engaged ilr. Bamber as Chemist, but 
they have secured also the services of Mr. E B 
Green, an Entomologist of the very highest 
European repute. Mr. Green is himself a tea 
planter of many years' experience, but h»8 
consented to become Government Entomologist 
manily with the view to devote his entire energies to 
the investigation of the pests of the tea plant. With 
a Chemist and Entomologist at work, Ceylon may 
reasonably hope to make some progress, but I do not 
look with much favour to a scheme that would secure 
one officer, in the hope that he would be an expert on 
every scientific problem of tea planting. I should, 
therefore, recommend the Association to carefully con- 
sider whether they want a Chemist or Biologist as the 
first and most important consideration. 
You ask me whether I approve of the proposal. 
Yes I do, subject to the qualification involved by the 
above remarks. That those responsible for the tea 
industry should bestir themselves to (a) discover 
remedies for the pests and blights, {h) to bring to light 
practical improvements in the quality and treatment 
of the plant, and (c) to perfect their methods of 
mannfaetnre seem to be truisms that I should hardly 
be asked to state. I know of no industry of a similar 
magnitude where empiricism is allowed to have 
such limitless sway. In my report I have given 
numerous illustrations of diametrical opinions held 
by well informed and successful planters on almost 
every aspect of the industry. And this statement is 
admissible because of the immense capabilities and 
vast powers of endurance of the plant. Both opinions 
may be equally wide of the mark and the profits 
obtained far short of the practical possibilities. Bat 
there is a limit to this blindfold trusting to Providence 
and to the endurance of the plant, and that limit 
in my opinion, is not very remote. I would, there- 
fore, urge that there is scope for not one scientific 
expert for a few years but for half a dozen for a life 
time. If funds will not admit of the whole qaestion 
being dealt with, the Association should decide 
whether they wish to secure a Biologist to investigate 
(a) above, or an Agriculturist to enquire into (b) or a 
Chemist to suggest improvements in (c), 
