i)EC. 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
m 
Acreages. — The following Statement shews the 
approximate acreage of the Company's Properties 
at date : — 
Name of Estate. Tea. 
Alloowiharie Group 
Andangodde Estate 
Fetteresso Estate 
New Peradeniya Estate , 
North Matale Group . . 
Owelia Estate 
Rickarton Estate 
Strathifila Group 
Forest Land 
1 yr. 
2yrs, 
3 yra. 
4 yrs. i 
over. 
117J 
50 
47 
16i 
39i 
120i 
5 
405 
li 
384f 
18 
13 
61 
315 
40 
28 
30 
12 
23 
503 
58 
48 
114 
81 
2481 
3151 
1,8051 
2,450i 
Cocoa. 
Alloowiharie Group 263 84 
Andangodde Estate — — 
Fetteresso Estate . . — — 
New Peradeniya 
Estate .. 17§ — 
North Matale Group 721 10 
Owelia Estate .. — 117 
Rickarton Estate . . — — 
Strathisla Group . . 3f 170i 
Forest Land , . — — 
"S n S 
cu o fl 
116i 15 
85 
692i 
176i 
28 438 
541 458i 
354 1,577 
242 457 
58 596 
44f 438J 
430 430 
l,005i 38U 201i l,226i 5,264i 
],386i 
N.B.— Coconuts are planted through Tea, Cocoa 
and Coffee. In the absence of detailed surveys 
these figures, as mentioned above are approximate 
only. 
Your Directors greatly regret having to inform 
the Shareholders of the death of Wm. Keiller, 
fisq., and Sir N. A. Staples, Bart. The vacancies 
thus caused have been filled in accordance with the 
Articles of Association by Alex. £>. Wilson, Esq., 
of Messrs. Chapman, Wilson & Co., 23, St. Ma,ry 
Axe, E.G., and Lewis A. Lewis, Esq., of Messrs. 
Lewis and Noyes, 14, Mincing Lane, E.G. 
The prospects of the Tea crop for 1899/190 are 
so far, favourable, the intake to 30th September 
being in excess, as compared with the Crop at same 
date last year. Your Directors hope that the Es- 
timates of Cocoa will be realised, but at the mo- 
ment it is practically impossible to speak with 
any certainty. 
Your Directors have decided to issue the balance 
of the 6 per cent. Cumniulative Preference Capi- 
tal, viz., 2,150 Shares of £5 each, at a premium of 
12s 6d per Share, a,nd the attention of the Share- 
holders is drawn to tlie Secretary's Circular accom- 
panying this Report, 
Mr. Alex. D, Wilson, by rotation, retires from 
the Directorate, but being "eligible, offers himself 
for re-election. 
Mr. James B. Lauo ie, the Auditor, also retires, 
bub he is eligible, a,nd offers himself for re-elec- 
tion. 
James Wilson, iChairman. Alfred E. Lock, 
Becretary. 
(CIRCULAR ACCOMPANYING REPORT.) 
Dear Sir ov Madam, — I am desired to inform you 
that by Article No. 6 of the Company's Regulations, 
it is provided that — 
" The Capital of the Compauy is Oue Hundred 
Thousand Pounds, divided into Twenty Thousand 
Shares of Five Pounds each, where of Ten Thousand 
are Preference Shares, and Ten Thousand Ordinary 
Shares. The Preference Shares are and shall be en- 
titled to receive out of the profits of each year a 
Cumulative Preferential Dividend of £6 per ceccum 
per annum on the Capital paid up thereon, and no 
more than such Dividend and the surplus profits of 
each year shall (subject to the right to create a re- 
servo fund) be divided^in payment of Dividends on the 
Capital paid up on the Ordinary Shares." 
I am further desired to point out that on the 80th 
June, 1893, the Company had in its possession a total 
area of 4,554 aores, out of which 2,780 were under 
cultivation at the then book cost of £96,958. At the 
cose of last financial year 3,836 aores in all had been 
planted up, excluding the area under Coffee, and the 
total extent increased to 5,264 acres, the book cost 
being £116,414 — in other words, during this period a 
sum of £19,456 has been added to Capita) Account, 
the major portion'of which (£17,500) will have been pro- 
vided out of the profits of the Company. 
In view however of the further expenditure needed 
to bring the clearings into full bearing, and to pro- 
vide for the building and equipping of Tea Factories to 
be erected on the Strathisla and Alloowiharie Groups, 
the Directors beg to offer to the Preference Share- 
holders, in proportion to their present holdings, the 
balance of the unissued 6 per cent Cumulative Pre- 
ference Capital, viz., 2,150 Shares £5 each, at a pre- 
mium ofl2s 6d per Share. * ♦ • 
The amount due in respect of the Shares will be 
payable in instalments as follows, viz : 
On 1st December, 1899 .. £1 10s Od per Share. 
lat January, 1900 ... £1 10s Od „ 
. 1st February 1900 . . £2 12s 6d „ (inolud- 
ing premium). 
The Dividend at the rate of 6 per cent per annum will 
accrue as from dates of payment ; pre-payment of 
the whole sum will be accepted, the DivideM being 
calculated at the rate of 6 per cent per annum also. 
Interest at the rate of 7J per cent will be ch;irged 
on instalments, after they become due, during 
the non-payment thereof. Failure to pay any instal- 
ment will render the previous payments liable to 
forfeiture. Interim Dividends are generally payable 
in July, and Balance Dividends in December. 
I am, &c., Alfbed E. Lock, 
Secretary. 
STATISTICS FOR PAST 10 YEARS. 
a A 
o 3 (5-^ 
qj O 
1890 1131 
1891 1345 
1»92 1385 
1893 1406 
1894 1451 
1895 1556 
1896 1556 
1897 1571 
1898 1636 753,151 460 
1899 1754 754,768 430 
'A' 
d. 
354,842 314 286,292 !)-46 1 5J 54-06 
480,684 358 357,648 9-10 1 6 48-61 
503,293 364 479,005 7-81 1 45 46-63 
589,192 419 528,172 7-70 1 3 51-33 
608,110 419 342,040 6 77 1 2* 46-68 
597,399 384 435,903 7.34 1 l| 55-40 
694,720 446 590.111 6-80 1 2 48 57 
748,994 476 432,652 6-61 1 3 43 40 
6-22 ) , . f 38-83 
6-27*i" ^ * \ 39-19» 
^* 1 41-72* 
Including Sales ma(3« iq Colombo, 
393,360 
281.457 1 6-75^ j 
1 4 
