bEC. 1, 18i>9.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
409 
the best quality imported, and equal to the grade 
sold at from 22 to 27 cents per pound. Some doubt 
was also expressed regarding the possibility of tea 
growing ever becoming profitable." 
Tea in Fbance. — There is clearly scope for further 
and energetic operations in connection with the sale 
of tea in France. A correspondent of " The Grocer " 
calls attention to the fact that many tea-rooms have 
been opened vfhieh announce the sale of tea in liquor 
and in leaf, and most of them advertise themselves 
as " Five O'Clock Tea Eooms." He says : " I called 
at one of the newest of these — a very small shop — 
the other day, and found that the business was being 
run by two young ladies, daughters of an English 
clergyman. I tried their tea, and must confess that 
if the same article were served in Regent Street or 
Piccadilly the trade done by that shop would be very 
small. The tea was of a very thin and flavourless 
description, especially when mixed with milk and 
sugar. I purchased one of their packets of tea, which 
was sold to me at the rate of 4s per lb. and on examin- 
ing it I found the tea was such as would not find a 
very ready market in England. I submitted it to an 
expert, who assured me that it would be worth about 
7d per lb. on the English market ; to that has to 
be added about 2s 3d for duty and ' octroi,' bringing the 
cost of the article up to about 2s lOd a lb. Curiously 
enough, it bore the name of a Swiss merchant, from 
whom I understand it had been obtained. It is a 
pity that the French taste for tea should not be 
educated with something better than this, because 
there can be little doubt that if the French consumers 
were taught how to make tea properly, and were taught 
how to appreciate a good cup of tea, a very great trade 
might be done in this article in Prance. There is, I am 
informed, an attempt to popularise tea in connection 
with the Indian and Oeylon sections of the Exhibition, 
but the restriction which has been laid down by the 
authorities that it shall not be sold within the pre- 
cincts of the Exhibition is one which will very greatly 
handicap exhibitors. No doubt many of your English 
merchants have turned their attention to France as a 
country into which tea might be profitably introduced, 
but the failure which has attended their efforts in the 
past doubtless accounts for the slowness of English 
merchants at the present day to make a fresh attempt. 
As, however, there will be a great number of Englith- 
speaking tea-drinkers in Paris next year, no doubt a 
good opportunity will afford itself of making a fresh 
attempt. In the Exhibition year of 1889 some Eng- 
lishmen did make the experiment of providing tea 
served in the English fashiou, which met with a limited 
amount of success ; but the numbers of English-speak- 
ing visitors next year it is expected will be greater 
than ever, and so it must be for the consideration of 
English merchants how far they will make another 
experiment in this direction." 
Coffee Adulteeation. — Coffee suffers in the matter 
of adulteration as compared with tea. The fraud, 
which is made in Germany, has found its way into 
Yorkshire, and, according to the Government analyst, 
it is most difficult, even on close inspection, to 
distinguish the doctored maize from the genuine 
cofiee berry.— i7. and C. 3Iail, Nov. 8. 
that this Association is prepared to subscribe R2C0 
towards the expenses of advertising and dispens- 
ing Indian coffee at the Paris Exhibition, pro- 
vided that other Associations will subscribe in pro- 
portion," — Madms Jfail, Nov. 17. 
SHEVAROY PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
The following are from proceedings of a meet- 
ing of the committee of the Shevaroy Planters' 
Association held in Yarcaud, on Monday, the 
6th instant : — 
Present .-—Messrs. W J Leohler, Thurston, Short, 
Rev. M Anderson, Messrs. C Eabm, C G Lechler, 
S B Nicholson, Bev. J M Kempf, Mr. R Gompertz, 
(Chairman and Hony. Secy). 
Read circular 89-99 from the Secretary, U. P. A. 
S. I., re exhibiting and selling Indian coffee at the 
Paris Exhibition, and enquiring what our Associa- 
tion is prepared towards the expenses. Resolved ; — 
"Ihat the Secretary, U. P. A. S. I., be informed 
LANKA PLANTATIONS COMPANY, LTD. 
Ileport ))resented at tiie I^ineteenth Ordinary 
General Meeting of tlie Lanka Plantations Coni- 
l)any, Limited, held at the Ofrice of the Company, 
on Wednesday. 
1 The Directors now submit their Report for 
the twelve months ending 30th June last, to- 
gether with the Balance Sheet and Accounts of 
the Company made up to that date and duly 
audited. 
2 The season was unusually favourable for 
Coffee. The crop shipped to London amounted 
to 722 cwts., and realized £2,843 lOs 2d. Last 
year, the crop shipped was 247 cwts., and realized 
£1,072 lis 8J. The acreage under Coffee alone 
is nominally 134 acres. 
3 The total crop of Cocoa gathered on Yatta- 
vvatte amounted to 1,665 cwts., and realized 
£5,509 183 lOd, against 1509 cwts. last year, whicii 
realized £4,866 Is 91. The cost of seven acres 
new land, and the net expenditure on clearings 
not yet in bearing, are charged to capital account. 
On the same estate 420 lb. Cardamoms were 
gathered, realizing £40 4s 9d. 
4 The Tea received from the Company's estates 
amounted to 769,578 lb., and has been sold at 
an average of 7'44 per lb. net, realising £23,862 
4s 4d. Last year the company received 731,593 
lb. which was sold at; an average of 7 45 per lb. 
net, and realised £22,840 18s Id. The season was 
generally unfavourable and tl'e yield fell shore 
of the estimates. 
5 The average rate at wbidi drafts were nego- 
tiated on account of the .season's crops was 1/4, 
9-32nds per Rupee against 1/4, 3-32nds last year. 
6 The following statement shows the acreage 
and state of cultivation of the company's estates 
on the 30th June last ; — 
a 
- EH 
Estate, 
o 
20 
Ampittia- 
kande, Am- 
hall 
Fruit Hill 
Fordyce, Gar- 
bawn, Gona- 
galla & Para- 
matta 
Rappahan- 
nock 
Eillamulle 
Thotulagalla 114 
Yattawatte 
444 
227 
794 
822 
232 
264 
31 
*751 35 
O 
167 
10 
301 
6 
63 
294 
fa 
a 
8 g 
o 
70 705 
... 237 
135 936 
90 473i 
20 259 
114 555 
82 1.222 
* 68 acres inter- 
lined with Li- 
berian Coffee 134 2,283 751 137 5702 511 i,SH6 
7 The net profits for the past year amounted 
to £9,544 2s 7d, to which must be added the sum 
of £644 6s lid, the balance brought forward from 
the year 1897-98, making together £10,188 9s 6d. 
8 Having already paid a half year's interim 
dividend on the 6 per cent. Preference Shares 
to the 31st Dqcpmljer, 1898, amounting to £426 
