April 2, 1900,1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 67:i 
TEA: KNAVESMIRE ESTATES CO., LD, 
THE ANNUAL REPORT. 
Your Directors have now to submit Accounts and 
their Beport for the year ended Slst December 1899. 
The Accounts close with a balance ot lil(,-l»do-i 
at credit ot Prolit and Loss account, and the Direc- 
tors recommend that a final dividend of 24 per cent 
be declared, making with the interim dividend oi I.. 
per cent already paid, a total of .) per cent for 
*^The dividend will absorb R10,375, and leave a sum 
of R7,108-54, which it is proposed to carry forward 
to the new season. 
The crop for the ye ir has turned out very shoit, 
onlv 244,t>3ti lb having been secured against the 
reduced estimate of 300,000 lb. This shortfall la 
almost entirelv due to the very severe drought ex- 
perienced at the beginning of 1899 when the Estate 
suffered much, and never seemed to flush freely 
during the remainder of the year. Following this 
drought, the S.W. Monsoon set in very early with 
stron'g wind and too much rain, so that no sooner 
had ttie bushes recovered f com the effects of the dry 
weather, than they were checked again by the wind 
and rain ■ in fact there was very little good flashing 
weather during the whole year. Over and above 
these unfavorable conditions, the Superintendent waa 
hampered by having to transport his leaf to neigh- 
bouring factories during the busiest months of the year, 
owing to the new factory not being completed ; the 
transport of materiol for the building also taking up a 
good deal of labor, so that during the month of April 
t little leaf was lost, although nothing to account for 
the great shortage of crop, the greater part of which 
occurred during the latter six months ot the year. 
Expenditure per ib. of made Tea is heavy, being 
26-14 cents per lb., but this is accounted tor partly by 
the short crop, and partly by having to pay neighbour- 
ing estates to manafactureour tea, and extra tran-port, 
itc, while the new factory was in course of erection. 
To cover this, however, a sum of R16,184 8'2 was 
provided bv the balance due on a Loss of Profit 
Policy and' it this sum be deducted from the estate 
expenditure, the cost of production becomes reduced 
to 19 o3 cents per lb., which is less than the tea 
would probably have cost under ordinary circumstances. 
The nett value of the crop was 35-74 cents per lb. 
The Estate is in good order and well supplied with 
labor. The estimate of crop for 1909 is 300,000 lb. 
of made tea at a cost of 21-55 cents per lb., which in- 
cludes the costjof opet.ir g up a new clearing of 1.5 acres. 
The old factory which was destroyed by tire has 
been replaced by a larger and better building with 
more up-to-date machinery. The new factory is com- 
plete in every respect, and well up to the require- 
ments ot the Estate. The amount spent on the new 
building and machinery over and above recoveries 
from the Fire Insurance Company is E17,506-72, 
which amount has been provided for out of the re- 
venue ot the Estate. 
In terms of the Articles of Association, Mr. Wm. 
Anderson retires by rotation from the Board of 
Directors, but is' eligible for re-election. 
The appointment of an Auditor for 1900 rests 
with the meeting. 
TEA: THE KAYIGAM COMPANY, LD. 
THE ANNUAL REPORT. 
Acreage: — 
KAYIftAM. 
Tea in bearing ... 362 acres. 
,, partial bearing ... 264 „ 
,, not in ., ... 69^ „ 
Forest ... .5044 „ 
Total ... 1,200 acres. 
ANNANDALE. 
Tea in bearing .. 2.50' acres. 
Forest 8 
Grass ... 38 ,, 
The Directors herewith submit their Report and 
Balance Sheet with Profit and loss acconnls for 1899. 
After writing off R4,838'38 for depreciation on Bniid- 
ings and Machinery and Rl, 31912 being thu bUHUoa 
outstanding for preliminary expense-, there reinnins 
a balance of R'<9,779'63 available for disti ibi'.tion, l Ut 
of which the DirectorK pnip. se to piiy a 5 pt-v a- iit 
dividend absorbing RSO.i'OO, and to place K9,000 to a 
reserve for making p ovision for the reciuuti .n of the 
m'^rtgage loan, carrying forward a balance ofRViyBS. 
The crops of tea from both estates cousideraoly 
exceeded estimates, that of Rayigam beini; 299.398 lb. 
exclusive of bought leaf, and of Annandaje 92,ti4bib. 
The net prices realised for Rayigam and Annauaale 
Estates teas respectively were 33'83 cents and 44'!J2 
cents per lb. The teas were all sold locally. 
The estimate of crop for the cnrrent year for Rayi- 
gam is 320,000 lb. as against 250,000 lb. for last year, 
and for Annandale 94,000 lb., as against 82,000 for 
last year, 
Mr. Gordon Frazer having gone on l ave, Mr GE 
Woodman was elected a Director to fill the vacancy 
on the Board during Mr. Frazer's ab^euce from the 
Island. 
Mr. Albert Rosling retires from the Boii.rd of Dir- 
ectors by rotation, but being eligible offers hiuiialf 
for re-election. 
The election of an Auditor for 190O rests with the 
Meeting. 
^ 
THE CLYDE TEA ESTATES COMPANY, LD. 
THE ANNUAL REPORT. 
Acreage : — 
Tea in full bearing 
Young Tea 
434acre3. 
U2 „ 
1(39 „ 
Total.. 715 acres. 
Tour Directors beg to submit their Report and 
accounts for the yeur ending 3l3t Decembe , 1899. 
During portions of the year unusual diotighr.s were 
experienced, a serious shortfall in crop resulting 
therefrom. 
The quantity of tea made was: from estate leaf 
173,040 lb. and from bought leaf 7,225 lb., ai^unst 
estimates of 235,0i 01b and 5,0i 0 lb. respcci i> ely. 
The yield for the year equals 400 lb. of md,de tea 
per acre in full bearing. 
The cost of estate tea, including transport but 
exclusive of manuring was R45,302-45, or say 26"18 
cents per lb. The net amount realized for the total 
crop (180,265 Ih) was R64,402-53, an average of 35-73 
cents as compared with 33'50 cents per lb. in 1898. 
The expenditure on manuring during the year 
(R5,lll-60) has been charged against revenue, and the 
following additional sums have been written c£f :— 
Ri.OOO being balance of preliminary expenses. 
R3,233-58 for depreciation in value of DuiUiings and 
machinery at 2i per cent and 10 percent respectively. 
The available balanjo is R7,637-09, from which the 
Directors recommend payment of a dividend of 
21 per cent absorbing R6,750, and leaving R8t)7 09 to . 
be carried forward to next account. 
Under the Articles of Aa.sociation, Mr. FM Laurie 
retires from the Board, and being eligible offers him- 
self for re-election. 
The shareholders have to appoint an auditor for 1900. 
TEA: THE UDABAGE COMPANY, LD. 
THE ANNUAL REPORT. 
Acreage : — 
215 acres in full bearing. 
84 ,, 3 years old. 
36 
164 
2Jr 
l| 
499^acres cultivated. 
641 ,, available reserve. 
Total 
296 acres. 
84 
1,140 acres more or less. 
