DEC. 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. 
7HE CAllOLINA TEA COMPANY 0? 
CEYLON. 
SEVENTH ANNUAL EEPOET. 
The following has been published as the annual 
report : — 
Your Directors beg to submit the Balance Sheet 
and Profit and Loss Account for the year ending 
30th June, 1899. 
The surplus of £3,236 Us 8d it is proposed to 
■vTjoropriate as follows : — 
'Nett Profit .. £8,236 11 8 
Amount at Credit of 
Ordinary Shares .. 112 18 1 
£8,319 9 0 
Debenture Interest .. £2,450 0 0 
Dividend on Ordinary 
Shares at 7 per cent 
per annum . . 3,500 0 0 
Proposed to place to 
lleaerve Fund ... 1,200 0 0 
Balance carried forward 
to the credit of the 
Ordinary Shares 
i£7,l50 0 0 
±1,199 9 9 
The actual tea crop from the Company's proper- 
ties was 961,757 lb. as against an out-turn for the 
previous year of 939,191 lb., in addition to which 
32,862 lb. tea were made from purchased leaf. 
The cost of the tea free on board Colombo, was 
4'61d per lb., as against 5'lOd for the previous 
season. 
The average gross sale price in London was 7'65d as 
against 8 02d in 1897-1898. 
The fall in price as compared with last year 
was to some extent owing to the disorganization 
of business brought about by the dispute between 
buyers and importers on the subject of the condi- 
tion of Auction Sales. This has now been arranged, 
but importers of teas generally have suffered in the 
matter. 
The crop of cocoa has increased from 441 cwt. to 
556 owt. 
The season's working of the estates shows a 
▼ery substantial increase in profits over those of 
the previous two years, notwithstanding that the 
average sale price of the teas has declined, pro- 
portionately with the drop in values of Ceylon teas 
generally, and in ths face of a continuously advanc- 
ing average rate of exchange. This result has been 
obtained by means of increased crops, as also by 
large economies effected in expenditure on the estates 
and in Colombo. 
Your Directors are pleased to add that these 
economies have been arrived at without at alt in- 
terfering with the continued thoroughly satisfactory 
condition of the properties. 
The following statement will be of interest as show- 
ing the progress of the estates : — 
2 
Season. 
3 
fli . 
Cost Average 
-w 60 
-a S." 
a o >, 
per lb. Sale price 
H 
-Si fl 
<J a 
Gross, 
Acres. 
lb. 
a. d. 
1895 . . 
1,987 
916,715 
4-43 8-35 
1896 . . 
2,046 
930,066 
4'88 8-26 
1897 , , 
2,116 
939,491 
5-10 8-02 
1898 . . 
2,233 
961,757 
4-61 7-65 
The total area of land now under cultivation 
2,602 acres, comprising :— 
Tea in full bearing 
Tea in partial bearing... 
Tea not in bearing 
Cocoa, Coffee, &g 
2,441 acres 
161 „ 
2,602 acres 
The sum of £1,200 Las been added again to the 
P>,e.sfirve Fund, bringing up the total of this account 
to t'S.400. ^ 
Your Directors have resolved to carry forward a 
large sum this season, having under discussion at pre- 
sent representations from the General Manager in 
Ceylon that considerable additions be made to accom- 
modation and machinery at the principal Factory of-- 
the Company, to provide for the proper manufac- 
ture of the constantly increasing crops of tea. 
Your Directors hare to express their entir* satis- 
faction with the working of the stafl in the Som^ 
pany's employ. 
The thanks of the Company are due to the Colombo 
agents for a modification in their scale ef charges to 
the advantage of the Company's which has been 
accepted by the Directors. 
It is with great regret that the Directors hare to. 
report the resignation, owing to failing health, by 
Geneial Hopkinson, c.s.i., of his seat on the Board. 
It is not proposed in the meantime to fill up thia 
vacancy. 
The Directors retiring by rotation are Mr. CAW 
Cameron and Mr Evelyn Ileseltine, whobsing eligible, 
offer themselves for re-election. 
C. A. W. Cameron, Chairman. 
London, 18th October. 
MESSRS. 
SCHEMMEL & CO.. OF LEIPSIG 
AND NEW YOKK. 
THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH CEYLON. 
We have received by the German mail a 
report from the above firm, which open* 
with the remark that : " the progress of all 
branches in the German Empire, continues 
nnabated ;" reference is made to the opera- 
tions of the Company in the United States, 
Brazil, Mexico and South America, as well 
as Europe : and they add : — 
We would further mention that, taking into 
account the importance of the English market, 
we have opened, from the 1st of October, a 
branch office at 27, Mincing Lane, London, E.G., 
under the management of Mr. H. Breitenstein, 
late manager to Messrs. Volkart Bros, of Galle, 
Ceylon. This branch will be exclusively devoted 
to the sale of the products of our Leipzig and 
New York works and to the general furtherance 
of our interests in Great-Britain. 
With regard to cardamom oil, the following 
particulars are given :— 
E. J. Parry contributes a paper on the oil of 
Malabar-cardamoms. The author has prepared 
and examined the oil obtained from two different 
varieties, known respectively as Ceylon-Malabar 
and Ceylon-Mysore-cardamoms, and has found 
them identical in poiiitof odour. Their physical 
properties, also, were almost the same, 
CINNAMON. 
This occurs in the course of the report : — 
The quotations of cinnamon chips have, during 
the last few months, gradually risen in Ceylon 
to Sad. per lb., and the exports are nearly double 
those of the corresponding period of 1898. This 
would imply, either that active speculations are 
carried on, or that new openings have been found 
for this article. ., 
The exports of chips were: — 
Jan. to July lb., 
from 1st 2oth 1899 : 1,159,761 as against 
„ 1st „ 2oth „ 1898: 677,656,, 
„ 1st „ 25th „ 1897: 666,4.54 „ 
„ 1st 25th „ 1896: 450,348 „ 
This increase seems to have been at the cost 
of a reduction in the exports of quills, which, 
in the above named period, fell from 1,123,S53 
lb. in 1898 to 886,132 lb. in 1899. 
