Dec. 1, 1899.1 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
391 
SCOTTISH TKUST AND LOAN COMPANY 
OF CEYLON, LTD. 
The following is the report hy the Directors of 
the Scottish Tru.st and Loan Company of Ceylon, 
Ltd., to the twenty-second Ordinary General 
Meeting of Sliarehoiders, held at the Com- 
pany's ilegistered Otiife, No. 1-23 George Street, 
Edinburi^h, on Thursday, the 26ch Oct :— 
The Directors present their Tv7enty-second Report, 
being for the year to Slst August, 1899. 
Estates in the Company's Possession. — The 
Estates of the Company, along with most estates in 
Ceylon, experienced the effects of the abnormal 
season 1898-1899, and the yield of Tea fell short of the 
estimate. Notwithstanding this, the year's working 
shows fair results. 
The Company's Estates now comprising 1,581 acres 
of Tea in bearing, 151 acres in partial bearing, and 
293 acres of young Tea — in all 2,025 acres. Ceffee 
cannot be depended upon for substantial returns ; the 
crop being precarious, and the market at present 
much depressed. 
Factoeies, Buildings, and Machinery.— The 
Capital outlay includes the extension of Annfield 
Factory, wire shoot tor Rahanwatte, the planting of 
new land, and upkeep of Tea not yet in full bearing. 
Debenture Debt. — The Debenture debt remains at 
the same amount as at the close of last year. The sole 
remaining Bond will mature and be paid off at 
Martinmas 1899. 
Accounts.— The Balance at the credit of Profit and 
Loss Account is . . . . £7,065 14 5 
And the Directors propose — 
To pay a Dividend of 
5per cent per annum, 
free of Income Tax . £2,250 
Note. — Two and a half 
per cent of this was 
paid aa an Interim Di- 
vidend at Whitsunday 
1899. 
To pay Bonus of 5 per 
cent free of Income 
Tax .. .. 2,250 
To transfer to Reserve 
Fund .. .. 1,000 5,500 0 0 
Leaving .. £1,565 14 5 
to be carried forward to next Account. 
By the death of Mr. William Bowden Smith, the 
London Agent, in October 1898, the Directors sustained 
the loss of a sound adviser in all matters relating to the 
practical working and welfare of the Company, and they 
desire to place ou record an expression of the value of 
his services. The vacancy in the London Management 
thus caused has been filled by the appointment of Mr. 
A Gordon Dickson and Mr. William G. Smith as Joint 
Agents. 
The Director have pleasure in intimating that 
during the year under review they appointed by Mr. 
W Herbert Anderson as Resident Director in London, 
with a general supervision of the Company's affairs. 
Mr. Anderson's long practical experience as a Ceylon 
Planter has already proved of much value to his 
colleagues. In terms of the Company's Articles of 
Association, Mr. Anderson falls to retire from the 
Board, and be re-elected by the Shareholders at the 
ensuing General meeting. 
., The Director retiring by rotation is Mr. James 
Haldane, who is eligible for re-election. 
The Auditor for the current year falls to be 
uppointed. Francis A. Brikgloe, Secretary. 
CEYLON TEA AT ZANZIBAR. 
We have decided to give this product a trial, 
because of the healthy appearance of the tea bushes 
at Miss "Thakeray's shauiba, Mbweni, planted by 
Sir John Kirk, These were pruned down in 
October and Hushed well, bearing enough new 
growth in two im&uths to form a plucking surface 
and leave six inches of pruning wood. Half a 
maunrt of Hora<;alla, Ceylon, As;-ai!i Hybrid, has 
been obtained and planted in (lie new nursery at 
Mpapa and is growing welf. This sliould give us 
enougli plants for six acres, planting live by five, 
and leave a margin for supplies and distribution. 
I don't think that Zanzibar will ever enter' the 
lists as a tea producing country, evea if low- 
country varieties are found to lionrish here, aa the 
labour-supply is too sniail and uncertain. The 
plentiful supply of organised labour in Ceylon is 
one of the chief reasons why that country has 
taken the lead in this industry, while Natal is an 
example where the comparatively adverse condi- 
tions of labour have operated unfavourably. In 
our present unstable condition of labour we could 
not do more tiian grow a few ^cres for local con- 
sumption and perhaps induce Arabs and natives 
to cultivate a few trees for their own use. 
Another point to remember is that; tea is a declin- 
ing market and is probably already overproduced, 
— Zanzibar Gazette. 
^ 
THE CONSOLIDATED ESTATES CO.;.; 
LONDOX, Oct. 14." 
I see the H. & C. Ma il attempts no report 
of Mr. R. A. Bosanquet's really very sensible 
and suggestive remarks at this meeting ; 
while it rather bungles what I said in mixing 
up Rubber and Shade Trees. After very 
aptly expressing thanks for all connected 
with the work of the Company, Mr. Bosan- 
quet alluded to his recent visit to Ceylon 
and to what he saw of the need for liberal 
cultivation ; but he felt that manuring must 
be judiciously carried out, and he did not 
quite believe in " bones " for tea. He 
illustrated the need of taking action against 
tea pests betimes, by what occui'red in the 
case of coft'ee ; but by no means indicated 
the cases were alike. 
I am much interested in the home campaign 
to induce all publicans to supply "tea" 
among other refreshing drinks ! Support of 
this movement would reoay^lCeylon planters 
much more than wasting time and thought 
over the abolition of the Tea Duty — of which, 
even if desirable (which most people doubt), 
there is not the remotest chance, with war in 
South Africa. 
Ceylon Green Teas in Canada.— Is 
Ceylon really exporting any green tea, or is 
its fair name being used as a handle for the 
ready sale of green teas from other sources ? 
The following is an extract we have received 
from the agents of the "Salada" Ceylon Tea 
Co. at Montreal, dated October 4th : — "You 
may be interested to hear that we have just 
had a visit fi'om Mr. Wm. Mackenzie, who 
has induced our firm to take hold of Ceylon 
green teas, and after talking the matter 
over the matter with our principal and Mr. 
Mackenzie (who were here together on Satur- 
day last) we have decided to go into them, and 
we believe that there is a great future 
before them. We believe, in fact, that instead 
of climbing a very steep hill, as we have 
done in displacing Japan teas with Ceylon 
blacks, we have a comparatively easy path 
in Ceylon greens, and propose to push th em 
for all we are worth." Mr. Mackenzie's ne xt 
communication on this subject should afford 
food for reflection to planters who are not 
now turning out green teas at all. 
