THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Feb. 1, 1900. 
The fignres, which are giveh in the Agricultural 
Jleturns, shows that the United States cover 
2,292,000,000 acres ; Australia, 1,974,000,000 acres ; 
Russia in Europe 1,244,000,000 acres ; and Agentine, 
715,000,000 acres. The United Kingdom, on the othej 
hand, covers only the comparatively insignificant 
area of 77,000,000 acres. — Agricultural Gazette, 
liondon. 
KANAPEDIWATTIE TEA CO., LTD. 
DIRECTORS' REPORT. 
.. The Directors have pleasure n laying before the 
.Shareholders their Report and Accounts f or the year 
Tended 31st December, 1899, which they trust will be 
f6tihd satisfactory. The following figures shewing the 
crop, cost, and average of the tea for the past three 
yfears will be found interesting : — 
1897. 
Crop in Cost in Kett 
-. lbs. Colombo. Average. 
.From Estate Leaf ... 122,095] „^.„„ „..,„ 
From Bought Leaf. . 22,095 ) "^"^ 
Total Crop.. 144,190 
- : " 1898. 
-From Estate Leaf . . 142,267 ) 
From Bought Leaf. . 30,339 J 
Total Crop. 
. From Estate Leaf . 
From Bought Leaf. 
172,697 
1899. 
151,030 1 
38,565 ; 
23'11 
21-92 
32-71 
36-16 
Total Crop.. 189,595 
It may be mentioned that the estate tea alone cost 
cents. 19-94 lb. laid down in Colombo, which reflects 
.great credit on the Superintendent, Mr. Geo. Christie. 
The crop was 3,970 lb. short of the estimate, but the 
yield was 543 lb. per acre which may be considered 
good, as no allowance has been made-^or cocoa, cin- 
chona and shade trees planted here and there through 
the tea. 
The net profits for the year amount to E44, 779-51, 
which is equal to 13;| per cent on the paid up Capital 
■ of the Company as against 12 per cent last year. 
Including the sum of 1177 1-24 brought forward from 
last year, the amount available for distribution is 
. R45,550-39, of which R13,360 has been absorbed by the 
payment of an interim dividend of 4 per cent for the 
six months ended 30th June last. 
The Directors recommend that the available balance, 
namely R32, 190-39, be apportioned as follows : — 
By the payment of a Final Dividend of 6 J per 
cent, making 10.J per cent for the year R21,710-00 
By placing to Reserve Fund . . 10,000 00 
By carrying forward to the next account 480-39 
Total.. R32,190-39 
It will be noticed that the Reserve Fund will then 
• Btibd at R25,00l). 
, In terms of the Article of Association, Mr. George 
■'Christie retires from the Board of Directors, but, 
being eligible, offers himself for re-election. 
■; The Auditor, Mr. J, D. Forbes, also offers his ser- 
''yices for 1900. 
^^YATADEKIA tea CO., OF CEYLON, LTD. 
. , I , ; ,/ DIRECTORS REPORT. 
The directors h live the pleasure to submit the Bal- 
ance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account for the year 
■ ending 31st December, 1899, duly audited. 
Including extraneous profit from outside manufac- 
ture the profit for the year is R88,477-70, to which 
must be added R9,850-87 balance from 1898. An 
Interim Dividend of 12i per cent, absorbing R23,750, 
was paid last August, and the Directors propose that 
a further Dividend at the rate of 12J per cent and a 
'•bonus of 20 per cent., absorbing R61,750; be declared 
end made payable on the J2th inetanti leaving a 
It will be seen that the property representing Capital 
stands in the Balance Sheet at approximately R197 
per acre cultivated, as compared with about R200 in 
the pr.;v!uus year's accounts, and that the profit is 
BlOJ-54 ptr acre in bearing, and 40-56 per cent on 
the Capital. 
The total Tea crop was 572,138 lb. or 17,138 lb. 
more than the estimated quantity, the latter part 
of the year having been more favourable. The pluck- 
ing .Trea was 880 acres, in addition to which the 33 
acres ot 1^97 tpa -was plucked towards the close of 
the ytar. The total quantity of Tea for disposal 
Wrts .j77,214 lb., including 5,076 lb. made from pur- 
chased leaf, of which 221,481 lb. were eold locally, 
averaging 33-08 cents per lb., and 355,733 lb. were 
shipped to London, of which, 99,910 lb. had still to be 
accounted for; but the avernge obtained for the 255,8231b. 
as yetaccounted for is35-75cents per lb. Thecostof the 
tea delivered to buyers or put on board ship, including 
all charges, was 18 89 cents per lb., and the Dett 
value realised from sales (a portion being estimated) 
was 34-77 cents per lb. (being 4 96 of a cent more 
than tor the previons crop.) 
The Company's property consisted on the 
December, 1899, of ; — 
3]8t 
Acres 
172 
2U8 
100 
42 
6' 
S2 
120 
68 
37 
75 
33 
29 
24 
966 
Tea 
Planted in 
1885 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
Yielded in 1899 
lb. 
Tea per Acre. 
602 
not i 
do 
538 
534 
630 
813 
957 
789 
844 
719 
530 
111* ' 
a bearinK 
do. ^ 
22 Acres Cocoa and Factory site, 
10 ,, Cardamoms. 
255 „ Forest, &c. 
Total 1,253 Acres as per last report. 
* Plucked latter end of season. 
The estimate crop for 1900 is 580,000 lb tea 
u'^^'u'^^^ ^'mI^^^u "^^'''^^ Board, and the 
shareholders wilt be requested to elect a Director 
and also Auditor for the current year. 
Experimental Manuring in Victoria — 
During the coming season the Victorian Depart- 
ment of Agriculture proposes to make a thorough 
trial of the value of manures in different parts of 
the colony. Not only will the recent experiments 
at St. Arnauld be repeated, but experimental plots 
will be treated with different manuret in all the 
principal wheat-growing districts of the colony 
The Minister of Agriculture states that he pro- 
poses to have four set,s of fertilising drills at work 
under the supervision of Mr. AN Pearson the 
Government Agricultural Cheniist.and Dr. Howell 
and every care will be taken to give full publicity 
to the experiments. A number of sites have 
already been secured, and in making purchases of 
manures now on the market for|the purpose of the 
experiments, the Government would take every 
precaution to ensure tlie identity of the buyer being 
kept a secret. Dr, Howell, who has recently ioined 
tlie department, is now engaged in making a com- 
plete soil survey of the colony, and he is lecturing 
to farmers in all parts of the colony on manures 
and manuring and the splendid results {o be ob- 
tained from the scientific use of fertiliser — ■ 
(Sydney Mailt Jan, 20. ■ 
