ApRit 2, 1900.', THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
tSE tONACOMBE ESTATES COMPANY 
OF CEYLON, TD. 
THE ANNUAL REPORT. 
The acreage of the Company's Est'vtea is as 
follows : — 
Tea in bearing ... 
Tea not in bearing 
Tea seed bearers 
CavJ.Lmoms in bearing 
„ not in bearing 
Beserved Forest 
Fuel Trees 
Chena and Fatana 
494 
96 
87 
li 
a ares. 
593 
101 
24 
11 
1,151 
Total . . 1,880 
The total quantity of Tea secured during the year 
was 188,078 lb. which has been sold at an average 
of 42 74 cents per lb. net. 
The total Cardamom crop was 9,791 lb. which 
realized Rl'76 per lb. net. 
The total expenditure on working account amounted 
to B59,407-19. 
During the year the permanent improvements on 
capital account include the erection of a set of 12 
room lines, the purchase and erection of a new Rapid 
Boiler^ and the completion of the tats on the ground 
floor of the new extension to the Factory. 
The balance available, nfter providing for depre- 
ciation, amounts to B27, 800-21, and the Diiectors 
propose to pay a dividend for the year at the rate 
of 5 per cent., absorbing l{14,000, to place B13,000 to 
the credit of Exten8it)n3 account, and to carry for- 
ward B80O21 to next account. 
In pursuance of tlie Policy indicated'by the Direc- 
tors in their Eeport for 1898, Ten Debenture Bonds 
of £100 sterling each have been rerieemed, the De- 
benture issue now standing at £6,000. 
The coast advances have been still further reduced 
from R8,193 58 on 31st December, 1898, to R5,125-98 
on 31st December, 1899. 
The crops for 1900 are estimated at 
200,000 lb. Tea, 
9,000 lb. Cardamoms, 
against an expenditure of R64,122 50. 
During the year Mr. Cumberbatch and Mr. Figg 
resigned their seats on the Board, and Mr. R S 
Templer and Mr. G H Alston were appoinied in 
their places. 
Of the Directors the Hon. J N Campbell retires 
by rotation, but is eligible for re-election. 
The appointment of an Auditor for the current year 
■Will rest with the meeting. 
GEYLON GAME PROTECTION SOCIETY. 
ANNUAL REPORT. 
Th« Inet annual report was laid before a gener' 1 
meeting held at the Hill Club, Nuwara Eliya on 7th 
February, 1899. Since that date three general meet- 
ings have been held, viz., on 17th May iri Nuwara 
Eiiva, on 24th May in Kandy and on 16th Sept. . 
in Nuvvara Eliya and one Sub-Uomraittee meeting on 
17th November in Nuwara Eliya. In addition to this 
a branch meeting was hell in Nawalapitiya with the 
sanction of the Hon Mr. Lee, Mr. P B Shand, being the 
moving spirit and Mr. Bailey, late Government Agent, 
CP., presiding. 
The attendance at the meetings generally has been 
very pooi\ but at the last general meeting a small 
vVoiking Sub committee was elected, to discus-j cor- 
re poudence and lhouj;h only one Sub-UonimiLtee 
meeting has yet been called it is clear that the 
Woik df the Society will now be pushed through in 
a much more satisfactory manner. In this connec- 
tion I might meutiou that the thanks of the Society 
Are due to the Secretary of the Hill Club for his 
inv iriabla courtesy and kindness in placing a room 
at tlie disposal of the Society when appealed to by 
the Hon. Mr. Lee. 
BURINESS. 
One of the first subjects bro'ight np'for considera- 
tion by this Society was a resolution by Mr. Gordon 
Reeves that this Society ask for donations from visit- 
ing sportsmen. An amendment, that Government be 
asked to impose a tax on visiting sportsmen, was 
carried, but Government would not agree to 
impose the tax. During the past year numerous 
wealthy sportsmen have visited this Island and have 
enjoyed good sport ami the following toree donations 
to ihe Ceylon (iame Protection Society have been 
received by the Hon. Mr. Lee :— 
£ R. c. 
Prom Comte Antoine KharenhuUer 
and Hans Bechiuie 5:^73 .^O 
From Comte de Raveneau aud Comte 
de Martin Prey 30 00 
From Mr. Paul Niedeck 100 00 
— making in all R203 60, so that the Society does not 
meet with due recognition by the wealthy s-portsmeu 
who enjoy the result of the Society's woik. Some 
definite tax should be imposed on visi ing sportsmen 
PROTECTION OF ELEPHANTS. 
The Society asked Government to prohibit the 
capture of elephants or (o raise the license for cap- 
turing an elephant from RIO to RlOO, 
The Government met our request half way, by 
raising the license to R50. 
The Society also asked Government to remit the 
amounts received for game licenses to the Society. 
This, Government said, they were unable to do, but at 
the same time thev ha -e raised the amount allowed 
for vi'atrhers at the Yala Sanctuary by an addit ional 
grant of R500 per annum and are going to allow two 
watchers in the Nuwara Eliya district at RISO per 
annum each. Watchers to be chosen by the Ceylon 
Game Protection Society. The Society has been 
paying for four watchsrs in theSabaragamuwa Province 
and for two in the Nuwara Eliya district. The four 
watchers in Sabaragamuwa are said by the 
Balaugoda Batemahatmeya, Mahatvalatenne, to be 
doinij good work. The watchers in the Nuwara Eliya 
district are commonly decribed as being useless, and 
are accused of accepting bribes, &c., but I am of 
opinion that there is a marked decrease in poaching 
aud even if the watchers do accept bribes, as most 
low-paid natives will do, siill the mere fact that they 
Imve to te bribed must have a deterrent effect on 
poaching. It is almost impossible to check the 
watchers' movements though the Hon. Secretary makes 
an effort to do so by milking him produce his book 
for superintendents to write their names in on his 
visiting the jungles in the neighbourhood of their 
properties. 
Last year this Siciety asked Government to prohibit 
the sh oting of s iaabur and deer in the forests lying 
ftlong the ridges in the neighh urhood of Nuwara 
Eiiya, the Elk Plain.-, and the Hoi ton Plains, at an 
elev,ii,ion of over 4,(100 feet, in fact where running to 
the kiiif J can be ;iud is indulged i.-i. Hi.-i Excelleney the 
Goveitior i-sued the necessary v)ruh',bii,!on, but, the 
limits of the pt-tscribed ctnuiiry .are uor. very clearly 
defined and die resuU has been that sonm di abatis, fac- 
tion has been expiessed by sportsmen livini^ lu th' hill 
districts wi^ere no elk packs are kept. 1 ih:nk this 
matter should be represented t > Government and the 
limits of the prescribed country clearly defined. 
His Excellenay at the request of the Society, 
has graciously given permission that recognir^ed 
packs of hounds be allowed to hunt in the 
forest reserves, on condition that each master 
of a recognised pack, register his name in the office 
of the Assistant Conservator at Nuwara Eliya. The 
prohibition of the export of deer and sambur hides 
which lapsed on 31st December, 1899, has been ex- 
tended for another five years. 
I learn from the Collector of Customs that the ship- 
ments of buff ilo and otherhidesare always carefully ex- 
amined and now and then deer and sambur hides have 
